Tuesday, 13 February 2024
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) today reported that four Enforcement Orders were served on food businesses during the month of January for breaches of food safety legislation, pursuant to the FSAI Act, 1998 and the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020. The Enforcement Orders were issued by Environmental Health Officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE).
Two Closure Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:
- F Herterich’s Pork Butchers, 1 Lombard Street, Galway
- Nearby O’Briens Gala (Closed area: External food store room), Cloughleigh Road, Ennis, Clare
One Closure Order was served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on:
- Golden Palace (restaurant/café), First Floor, 89 Swords Road, Whitehall, Dublin 9
One Prohibition Order was served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on:
- Mercury (retailer), Park Road, Waterford
Some of the reasons for the Enforcement Orders in January include: raw fish stored in a non-food grade cardboard box; rodent droppings present throughout the premises and food-storage areas; a large amount of perishable food stored in a non-operating freezer; raw meat being prepared in a sink used to wash hands, food and equipment; failure to wash hands before or after the handling of raw meat; absence of traceability records or information available for food products; a large build-up of grease under and at the sides of food preparation equipment; a refrigerator kept in an unclean and greasy condition; non-operating and non-calibrated probes for checking food temperatures; inadequate labelling of stored food items.
Commenting, Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, FSAI, stressed the importance of complying with food safety legal requirements that have been set to ensure the protection of consumer health.
“In January, there continued to be a number of food businesses who failed to ensure appropriate food safety management systems were in place and operating correctly. It is a legal requirement that all food businesses take responsibility in ensuring their premises are maintained to the standard required by Irish food law. Food safety requirements are put in place to protect the health of consumers. Consumers have a right to safe food. By failing to keep reasonable food safety and hygiene standards in place, a business not only poses a risk to the health of their customers, but also to their own reputation as a trustworthy and safe food business,” said Dr Byrne.
Details of the food businesses served with Enforcement Orders are published on the FSAI’s website. Closure Orders and Improvement Orders will remain listed in the enforcement reports 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 from the date the Order was lifted.
