‘Lack of pest proofing very concerning’ as 13 food businesses get closure orders in September 

Inspectors served a closure order, under the FSAI Act of 1998, on Glens Takeaway and Diner, Cappaughna in Glengarriff on September 26.

According to the FSAI report, inspectors found that there was “no supply of hot water provided to the sinks in the kitchen for the purposes of cleaning and disinfecting equipment and utensils” as well as a “lack of adequate hand washing facilities for food workers may pose a risk to food safety resulting in a risk to health”. The closure order remains in place, according to the FSAI.

Under the same FSAI Act of 1998, closure orders were also issued to:

• Grace’s Garden, Dublin Road in Shankhill, Dublin — the order was served on September 25 and lifted on September 28;
• Koffee and Kale, 21B Hill Street in Dublin 1 on September 24. According to the FSAI, the order remains in place;
• Spar (the closed deli area only) at Unit 3, 111 Reubens Square, Dolphins Barn, Dublin 8 — the order was served on September 20 and lifted on September 23;
• Kimex Ireland Limited, Unit 7, Golden Bridge Industrial Estate, Tyrconnell Road, in Inchicore in Dublin 8 — the order was lifted on September 19 and lifted on September 23;
• Osteria 99 Italian Cuisine, 1st Floor, 99 Monkstown Road in Monkstown, Dublin — the order was issued on September 17 and lifted two days later on September 19;
• Polonez at Unit 4 of the Walkinstown Retail Centre on Walkinstown Avenue, Walkinstown in Dublin 12 — the order was served on September 16 and issued one week later on September 23;
• Café Sol in the Cornelscourt Shopping Centre in Foxrock, Dublin 18 — the order was issued on September 4 and lifted on September 6;
• That’s Amore at 107 Monkstown Road in Monkstown, Dublin — the order was served on September 4 and lifted on September 6.

In Dublin, under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020, a closure order was issued to The Lord Lucan Pub in Lucan on September 16 after health inspectors found a dead rodent was caught in a snap trap in its kitchen. The order was subsequently lifted two days later on September 18.

Under the same EU regulations, closure orders were also issued to:

• Antonio’s, 61a Ballybough Road in Dublin 3 on September 26;
• Red Robin Takeaway on River Street in Killenaule, Co Tipperary, on September 24;
• Coolmine Shawarma & Grilled at Unit 40B of the Coolmine Industrial Estate on Porters Road in Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, on September 11.

The FSAI says these three orders remain in place.

One improvement order was served under the FSAI Act, 1998 to Sizzlers take away on 41 William Street in Limerick. The order was served on September 5 and lifted two weeks later on September 19.

Finally, one prohibition order was served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 to Hearty Sunshine at Unit 2A Block, Moore Street Mall, 55-66, on Parnell Street in Dublin 1. The order was served on September 3 and lifted on September 10.

FSAI Chief Executive, Dr Pamela Byrne, said that food businesses must ensure that their premises are fully pest proofed.

“The number of closure orders served in September, which listed evidence of widespread rodent or cockroach activity along with a lack of pest proofing, is very concerning. Pests can transmit very harmful pathogens to food, food surfaces and equipment and this presents a grave and immediate danger to public health.”

Dr Byrne said that every food business “must ensure that they have a robust pest control system in place and that the system is checked regularly”.

“It is crucial that swift and effective action is taken at the first sign of an infestation. Consumers have an absolute right to expect safe food. There is no room for excuses and adhering to food safety standards is a legal obligation for every food business,” she added.