Blackrock business among 12 given food safety closure orders

A Blackrock, Co Dublin grocery was one of 12 food businesses served with closure orders by environmental health officers from the Health Service Executive last month for breaches of food safety laws.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) said five closure orders under the FSAI Act 1998 were served on Kebabish Tandoori restaurant, 39 Lower Clanbrassil Street, Dublin 8; Sami Halal Store, 63 Upper Clanbrassil Street, Dublin 8; Asian Foods, a grocery at Blackrock Market, 19a Main Street, Blackrock, Co Dublin; Quinns pub, 42-44 Drumcondra Road Lower, Drumcondra, Dublin 9; and Kilcoran Lodge Hotel (excludes sale and service of drinks at hotel bar) in Kilcoran, Cahir, Co Tipperary.

Seven closure orders were served on businesses under the EC (Official Control of Foodstuffs) Regulations 2010.

The businesses were KOI (restaurant), Unit 5, 32-36 Main Street, Malahide, Co Dublin; Slane Bake (bakery), High Street, Slane, Co Meath; Phoenix House Chinese takeaway, The Square, Tubbercurry, Co Sligo; SRM Book and Cook (bakery), Unit 8, Block 3, City North Business Campus, Stamullen, Co Meath; Juno's Café, 26 Parkgate Street, Dublin 8; Docks Hotel (all food operations including bar, nightclub and the serving of all food and drinks), 15 Craywell Road, John Street, New Ross, Co Wexfod; and Palki Indian restaurant, Bowgate Court, Bowgate Street, Ballinrobe, Co Mayo.

Two prohibition orders were served on Sami Halal Store, 63 Upper Clanbrassil Street, Dublin 8 and Quinns pub, 42 -44 Drumcondra Road, Lower Drumcondra, Dublin 9.

The closure orders on Slane Bake, the Phoenix House, Kebabish Tandoori, Sami Halal store, Asian Foods, Quinns, Palki Indian restaurant and Kilcoran Lodge Hotel were lifted after breaches were corrected.

The prohibition order on Sami Halal Store was also lifted.

The HSE also successfully prosecuted two businesses in Co Donegal last month. They are the Shangri-La Restaurant, High Road in Letterkenny and the Station House Hotel, Lower Main Street in Letterkenny.

Under the FSAI Act, closure orders are served where it is deemed there is or there is likely to be a grave and immediate danger to public health or where an improvement order has not been complied with.

A prohibition order is issued if the activities (handling, processing, disposal, manaufacturing, storage, distrubution 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.

Under the EC (Official Control of Foodstuffs) Regulations 2010, closure orders and prohibition orders are served where there is a non-compliance with food legislation.

Commenting on the high number of closures last month, FSAI chief executive Prof Alan Reilly said businesses were putting their customers' health at risk by not complying with their legal obligations for food safety and hygiene.

“There is absolutely no excuses for negligent practices. The environmental health officers who inspect these food businesses continue to find unacceptable levels of non-compliance with food safety legislation,” he said.

“Food businesses must recognise that the legal onus is on them to make sure that the food they serve is safe to eat. This requires ongoing compliance with food safety and hygiene standards to ensure the food they are producing is safe to consume all day and every day. Food safety must be paramount.”

He urged businesses to take full advantage of the information and support provided by the inspectorate and the FSAI to ensure they have the correct food safety management systems in place.

Details of closure orders remain on the FSAI’s website for three months after the date when a business has addressed its food safety issue. Information on prohibition orders remains on the site for one month from that date.

Businesses may contact the FSAI advice line on 1890 336677 or visit its website fsai.ie.