Half of closure orders issued last month were due to evidence of pest infestations

LAST MONTH, 10 closure orders were issued to cafés, restaurants and a butcher’s around Ireland for a variety of reasons, the most common relating to “filthy conditions and poor hygiene”.

Of these, half were issued closure orders based on evidence of rat, mouse or cockroach infestations.

Other premises were issued with closure notices for a “failure to maintain temperatures of foodstuffs”, “filthy conditions with aged dirt and debris” and “raw chicken stored on a dirty floor”.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has today released the inspection reports of those premises closed fully or in part due to pest infestations.

Glebe Gardens and Café in Baltimore, Co Cork was ordered to close its bakery storeroom because of an “infestation by mice” in that area.

Spar at 23 Upper Baggot Street, Dublin 4 was issued a closure order to the entire business because of a “significant rodent infestation”.

The inspector’s reports said that there was “a significant number of rat droppings found in the basement and some droppings found on the shop floor”, which created a “risk of contamination of food products”.

Restaurant/café Akash, located on 7 George’s Avenue in Blackrock, Co Dublin was closed because of an insect infestation.

“Evidence existed of an extensive infestation of cockroaches throughout the kitchen” the report said, and “live nymph and adult cockroaches were found as well as cockroach egg casings”.

Cockroach activity was noted behind a dishwasher, within electrical wire casing, within the motor of a fridge and under a service fridge.

A food storage unit at the rear of 203 Philipsburgh Avenue – used by Larry’s Marino Fair, which is located at 205 Philipsburgh Avenue, Marino, Dublin 3 – also came in for criticism. The unit, which is separate to the shop building, was closed for a period of 10 days because the unit was “in a filthy condition” and showed “evidence of a rodent infestation”.

The Village Store/Kelly’s Last Chance Bar in Rathcabbin, Nenagh, Co Tipperary because of “evidence of pest activity was noted in the shop, [the] back storeroom and bar”.

The full details of the Enforcement Orders served on food businesses are published on the FSAI website. You can read them here.

Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive of the FSAI said that the organisation was now in a position to be more transparent about the reasons why food businesses are issued closure orders.

Enforcement orders are served on food businesses only when a serious risk to consumer health has been established or where there are a number of ongoing serious breaches of food legislation.

“We believe this initiative will help to dispel any misinformation regarding the reasons why Enforcement orders are served and will also let other food businesses know some of the things to avoid in their premises.”

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