Several food businesses and Dublin creche ordered to close in June for breaches relating to rodents and flies

Seven enforcement orders were served on food businesses in the month of June for breaches of food safety legislation, forcing some businesses to fully or partially close, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) reported on Tuesday.

Giraffe Childcare on Merrion Road, Dublin, was ordered to close its entire premises. Evidence of breaches were found including a dead mouse carcass under a sink unit in the children’s diningroom, a “significant amount of rodent droppings” and “pest proofing issues”.

Board, a restaurant on Clanbrassil Street, Dublin 8, was ordered to close the upper storey of its building, while retailer Mercury Eastern European Food in Midleton, Co Cork was ordered to close its entire premises. This was for issues including the discovery of a dead rodent under pallets on the shop floor where food was displayed, and large accumulations of rodent droppings throughout the shop on shelving.

Two closure orders were served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation, including the restaurant/cafe Chrysanthemum in Rathfarnham, Dublin, and the back yard part of the Chinese Gourmet Restaurant in Oldcastle, Meath.

Other premises received prohibition orders, including Johnson Best Food African Take Away in Summerhill, Dublin and The Roadhouse in Mullingar, Westmeath.

During the months of May and June, the HSE took two prosecutions in relation to Mean Greens Vegan Kitchen Stall on the Curragh in Kildare and Griolladh 2 Stall in the Curragh.

Chief executive of the FSAI Dr Pamela Byrne said consumers have “a right to safe food” and it was the legal responsibility of food businesses “to ensure that the food they sell to the consumer is safe to eat”.

“If anyone experiences unfit food, poor hygiene standards or notices a breach of food law in a food business, we encourage them to contact us,” she said.

She strongly encouraged food business operators to “continuously improve their food safety standards via regular training, availing of online resources, as well as promoting a strong culture of food safety within their businesses”.

Details of the food businesses served with Enforcement Orders are published on the FSAI’s website.