Closure orders over food breaches served on businesses

The Food Safety Authority served 17 enforcement orders on food businesses in August.

The five closure orders were issued under the FSAI Act 1998 to the Akatshi Grill (food stall), Pier Car Park, Donegal town, Co Donegal; The Village takeaway, Kill, Co Waterford; Makkah Halal Food supermarket, Naas Road, Clondalkin, Dublin; Pakway Distributors Ltd, Orion Business Park, Rosemount Business Park, Ballycoolin, Dublin, and Deli Delicious takeaway, East End, Rathmore, Co Kerry.

A further 10 businesses were shut down under European food regulations.

They were the Meadow View Inn public house (kitchen and all food preparation areas only), Dublin Road, Co Cavan; the Village Kitchen takeaway, Kilkerrin, Ballinasloe, Co Galway; O'Neills delicatessen (the preparation of salads, the regeneration by oven of foods, the making of sandwiches and rolls etc, in the deli counter area only), South Main Street, Wexford, Etchingham's public house, Main Street, Blackwater, Co Wexford (two closure orders were served on this food business); Ali Baba Turkish Kebab House takeaway (activity closed: manufacture of doner kebabs and cutting, chopping, slicing and skewering of raw meat and poultry), Dominick Street, Drogheda, Co Louth; Lagoon Cafe, Pirates Cove, Courtown, Co Wexford; Riverside Restaurant, Main Street, Ballyheigue, Co Kerry; Oyster Bar public house (closed area: Danann's Restaurant and kitchen area of the Oyster Bar only), Main Street, Dunfanaghy, Co Donegal, and Eurosaver supermarket (closed activity: the handling and serving of soft ice cream) Main Street, Wexford.

Most of the businesses involved had the orders lifted within days, however some remain closed.

Elsewhere, the two prohibition orders – issued if the handling, processing, disposal, manufacturing, storage, distribution or selling food involve or are likely to involve a serious risk to public health from a particular product, class, batch or item of food – were served last month to the Steps of Rome restaurant, Chatham Street, Dublin, and Pakway Distributors Ltd, Orion Business Park, Rosemount Business Park, Ballycoolin, Dublin.

Prof Alan Reilly, chief executive of the authority, expressed his disappointment at the lack of vigilance by some owners in ensuring their food businesses were fit for purpose and fully compliant with food safety legislation.

“The legal onus is on food businesses to ensure that the food they serve is safe to eat in accordance with the legislation.

“There is absolutely no excuse for negligent practices,” said Prof Reilly.