17% Increase in Food Safety Enforcement Orders in 2009
Friday, 8 January 2010
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) today stated that there were a total of 54 Enforcement Orders served for breaches in food safety legislation in 2009 compared with 46 in 2008, an increase totalling 17%. The FSAI today re-emphasised that it is unacceptable that food businesses were continuing to breach food safety laws and warned all food business operators to place robust food safety measures and hygiene practices top of their agenda for the new decade or face the full rigors of the law being imposed.
Between the 1st January and the 31st December 2009, enforcement officers served 34 Closure Orders, seven Improvement Orders and 13 Prohibition Orders on food businesses throughout the country. This compares with 34 Closure Orders, six Improvement Orders and six Prohibition Orders issued in 2008.
In the month of December 2009, one Closure Order was served by environmental health officers (EHOs) in the HSE Dublin North East Region on Ben Super Food Store, 189 Phibsborough Road, Dublin 7. One Improvement Order was served by EHOs in the HSE South Region on Murrays Foodstore and Post Office, Dromina, Charleville, Cork.
During the month of December, the following successful prosecutions were carried out by the HSE South Region on Spar, Pearse Square, Ballyphehane, Cork and on East Ocean Restaurant, Main Street, Charleville, Cork; by the HSE Dublin Mid Leinster Region on The New Leaf Restaurant, 1-2 High Street, Tallaght, Dublin 24; and by the HSE West Region on Giovanni Take-Away, Main Street, Oranmore, Galway.
Commenting on the annual figures, Prof Alan Reilly, Chief Executive, FSAI stated that the FSAI and its official agencies will continue to implement a rigorous inspection policy in 2010 to ensure full compliance with food safety legislation is achieved industry wide.
“The 2009 enforcement figures represent an increase on the 2008 figures, which is disappointing. Although the Closure Order statistics appear to be remain the same as the previous year, it is clear that work still needs to be done by the industry to reduce the number of these orders served each month. The same recurring, but easily preventable faults continue to contribute to the closure of food businesses and this must be addressed by food business operators.”
“Consumers have to be confident that the food they are eating is safe to eat and the FSAI will continue to take a zero tolerance policy to breaches of food safety legislation. Food business operators should take full advantage of the information and support made available by the FSAI and its official agencies to ensure a basic and consistent food safety management plan is developed and put in place in line with legislation”, Prof Reilly concludes.
Details of the food businesses served with these Enforcement Orders are published on the FSAI’s website. Closure Orders and Improvement Orders will remain listed on the website for a period of three months from the date of when a premises is adjudged to have corrected its food safety issue, with Prohibition Orders being listed for a period of one month.
See the ‘Enforcement Orders Database’ on our website.