Three food businesses were ordered to close in Roscommon last month for breaches of food safety legislation.
Closure orders were issued by environmental health officers from the Health Service Executive (HSE) on Mother India restaurant, The Square, Roscommon, the Kitchen of The Central Bar, Market Square, Roscommon and Roscommon Golf Club restaurant.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) also issued a closure order to the Honeybear ice cream van operating on Shore Front, Buncrana, Donegal, over fears of a danger to public health.
Four prohibition orders were also served in April, including three which were later lifted from Iskon Ireland, trading as Govindas on Dublin’s Aungier Street, Merrion Row and Middle Abbey Street, and the Real Brasil grocery, Unit 2, Castle Street, Roscommon.
A closure order is served when it is deemed that there is or is likely to be a grave and immediate danger to public health due to food practices or conditions at a premises. The order can be lifted if remedial or other work demanded by the officers is carried out.
Prohibition orders are temporary orders which are listed for one month on the FSAI website. They can be applied if a business is found to be selling, storing or producing food that is not fit for human consumption.
Professor Alan Reilly, chief executive, FSAI said, “We have seen a marked increase in the number of Prohibition Orders in April which is a disappointing statistic to be reporting today".
“There is no excuse for food businesses to be unaware of their legal responsibilities to protect consumer health in relation to food safety,” he added.