Rats, a dead mouse and pigeon faeces: Record 23 enforcement orders in November

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has revealed that there were 23 enforcement orders served to food business in November.

Twenty-one closure orders and two prohibition orders were served for breaches of food safety legislation.

It is the highest number of enforcement orders in one month since the legislation was introduced in 1998.

Some of the reason for the enforcement orders included:

• Evidence of rats in a premises;
• A dead mouse was found in a trap in a kitchen;
• The presence of mouse droppings in bar area;
• 'Substantial' pigeon faeces present on the wash basin in a food packing area;
• A live rodent was observed running in the direction of the food storage and equipment washing area;
• Dead cockroaches were found behind a service fridge, staff toilet, beside the grease trap and in a container holding bottles of sauces;
• Raw chicken and raw chicken juices directly contaminating ready-to-eat foods;
• The presence of cobwebs, spiders and insects such as woodlouse were present throughout a kitchen;
• Failure to comply with improvement notices;
• High levels of E. coli and coliforms were found in drinking water and ice samples taken from a premises.

FSAI boss Dr Pamela Byrne condemned the record number of food businesses issued with enforcement orders in one month as unacceptable.

"November had the highest amount of enforcement orders in one month which the FSAI has seen since the legislation was introduced in 1998," said Dr Byrne.

"Twenty-three enforcement orders over a one-month period is totally unacceptable.

"The presence of rodents and other pests presents a grave and immediate danger to consumers’ health and food businesses must put in place more robust pest control systems.

"Some of the reasons for enforcement orders in November demonstrate totally inadequate hygiene standards and these operators are damaging the reputation of the food industry as we enter one of the busiest months of the year.

"With the Christmas period already underway, food businesses must ensure they maintain high food safety standards and I hope in December we see a significant reduction in enforcement orders and improving food safety standards."

Eleven closure orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:

• New Century Chinese Takeaway, Riverstown, Dundalk, Louth
• Hui Kee (Take Away) (Closed area: Area to the rear of the premises housing coldroom), 52 Bulfin Road Inchicore, Dublin 8
• Vernon Catering (Packer) (Closed area: Packing area of open food in warehouse), Unit C104, Castleforbes Business Park, Sheriff Street Upper, East Wall, Dublin 1
• Sajna Exclusive Dining (Restaurant/ Café), 28/29 Bishop Street, Cobh, Cork
• Apache Pizza (Restaurant/ Café), 58 Dame Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2
• Blackchurch Inn (Restaurant/ Café), Naas Road, Rathcoole, Co. Dublin
• Hilan Chinese and Korean BBQ Restaurant (Restaurant/ Café),45 Capel Street, Dublin 1
• The Kitchen (Restaurant/ Café), Emmet Street, Trim, Meath
• Roma Restaurant (Closed Area:- the external area to the rear and side of the premises used for food production and storage), Dundalk Street, Carlingford, Louth
• East Ocean (Take Away), 61 Port Road, Letterkenny, Donegal
• Elita Meats (Small Meat Manufacturing Plant), Unit D4, Dunshaughlin Business Park, Dunshaughlin, Meath

10 closure orders were served under the EC (Official Control of Foodstuffs) Regulations, 2010 on:

• Tony's Bistro (Restaurant/ Café), 69 North Main Street, Cork
• Capital Turkish Kebab House (Restaurant/ Café), 3 Eglington Street, Galway
• Ballyneety Pizza (Take Away), Ballyneety, Limerick
• Westmanstown Sports Centre (Restaurant/ Café), Westmanstown, Dublin 15
• The Blue Anchor (Restaurant/ Café), Bellurgan Point, Dundalk, Louth
• Tikka Asian Street Food (Restaurant/ Café), Schooner House, South Quay, Wicklow
• Salvetas Take Away and Café (Restaurant/ Café), 4A Church Street, Finglas, Dublin 11
• Khan Spices (Retailer), 84 North Main Street, Cork
• Maliks Tandoori Restaurant (Restaurant/ Café), 1 Lower Pearse Road, Sligo
• The Paragon (Public House) (Closed activity: all activities with the exception of service of hot and cold drinks and prepackaged ready to eat snacks), Main Street, Skibbereen, Cork

Two prohibition orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:

• Vernon Catering (Packer), Unit C104, Castleforbes Business Park, Sheriff Street Upper, East Wall, Dublin 1
• Elita Meats (Small Meat Manufacturing Plant), Unit D4, Dunshaughlin Business Park, Dunshaughlin, Meath

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