Ireland: several businesses punished for violating food safety regulations

Last month, seven food businesses in Ireland received enforcement orders for breaching food safety legislation. A wholesaler and distributor in Portlaoise received a closure order on February 28 after inspectors found six mouse carcasses and rodent droppings. Lack of hygiene and gaps around the storage area were the main causes of the infestation. Another closure order was served in Navan, Co Meath, due to “an active rodent infestation”, visible even at the front service counter of the shop. Foodstuffs like ice cream cones and coffee beans were not protected against contamination and were stored in a room where there were traces of rat presence. The order was later lifted on March 3. An inspection led to a closure order for Lams in Dublin, with issues with the ventilation system, the storage of raw and cooked food, and the lack of pest control measures. The order was lifted on February 20. Another restaurant in the same Dublin area was served with a closure order as its premises were not cleaned and there was a hole in the wall of a food store. The order was lifted on February 17. An inspection at Bombay Keban House in Co Tipperary found the premises unclean and the use of undeclared allergens as food ingredients in all menu items. The business had a long history of non-compliance with food safety regulations.
The closure order was lifted on March 3. A closure order for Tank and Skinny’s @ Number 6 in Letterkenny, Co Donegal, was determined by no hot water supply to sinks and a lack of effective cleaning and food safety procedures. It was lifted on February 20. Finally, the Burren Smokehouse in Lisdoonvarna, Co Clare, had a prohibition order because several product batches contained Listeria monocitogenes. The affected batches were recalled and sent for destruction.
According to FSAI chief executive Greg Dempsey, the orders remind food businesses that food safety must always be a top priority. He also added that there are no excuses for failing to comply with legal requirements because the food safety system is straightforward and fully supported by the FSAI. Dempsey concluded by saying that consumers have a right to safe food and that all food businesses should always uphold the highest standards of safety and hygiene.