SIX FOOD BUSINESSES were ordered to close last month after inspectors with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) found them to be in breach of food safety legislation.

The businesses were closed for reasons including the presence of a live rodent and a suspected pool of blood in a goods storage unit.

The orders were served after the premises breached the FSAI Act 1998 and were issued by environmental health officers in the Health Service Executive.

The closed businesses were:

• The Carrot’s Tail, 192 Lower Rathmines Road, Dublin 6
• Joe’s Take Away, 3 Dean Street, Kilkenny
• Beef and Lobster, Unit 1 and 2 Parliament Building, 37-40 Parliament Street, Dublin 2
• Circle K Service Station, Belgard Road, Tallaght, Dublin 24
• Indian Aagrah/Bombay Brasserie, 89 Sundays Well Road, Cork
• Lidl Ireland (Closed area: Main store and warehouse, bakery preparation area, temporary storage container and adjoining delivery area), M1 Retail Park, Mell, Drogheda, Louth

The Carrot’s Tail was closed after inspectors found “evidence of rodent activity” at the front of the premises.

Rodent droppings were found in storage units which contained open food and some packaging containing food was noted to be gnawed, while a live mouse was also seen in a seating area during the inspection.

Joe’s Take Away was closed after inspectors found high risk cooked foods being stored in a defective refrigeration unit and at ambient temperatures, presenting a risk to public health.

FSAI inspectors closed Beef and Lobster after “significant amounts of rodent droppings” were noted in two wall openings in the basement storage room, while a live rodent was also noted in the same area next to refrigeration and freezer units.

An infestation of mice led to the closure of a Circle K garage on Belgard Road in Dublin, which inspectors believed presented a “grave and immediate danger” to public health.

Indian Aagrah/Bombay Brasserie was closed after inspectors noted a possible rodent infestation, as well as what appeared to be a “pool of blood” under a shelf in a storage unit that emitted a “foul smell”.

And the main store, warehouse, bakery preparation area, delivery area and a temporary storage container at Lidl in the M1 Retail Park in Drogheda was closed after evidence of rodent activity was found in the food storage and preparation areas.

All of these closure orders have since been lifted.

Under the FSAI Act 1998, a closure order is served where it is deemed that there is or there is likely to be a grave and immediate danger to public health at or in the premises; or where an improvement order is not complied with.

Closure orders can refer to the immediate closure of all or part of the food premises, or all or some of its activities, but can be lifted once a food premises is found to be compliant.

Dr Pamela Byrne, the Chief Executive of the FSAI, said the closure orders were “highly disconcerting”.

“Even though they are in the minority, there is no excuse for any food business to remain unaware of the correct food handling and storage procedures which could prevent pest infestations or prevent bacterial growth,” she said.

“It is crucial that all businesses within the industry are up-to-date with the legislation that address the issues that will prevent any unnecessary risk to consumers who may become sick as a result of these poor practices.”