The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has reported that Environmental Health Officers from the Health Service Executive issued 11 Closure Orders and two Prohibition Orders to food businesses in October for breaches of food safety legislation. These actions were taken under the FSAI Act, 1998 and the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020.
Of these, eight Closure Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998, while three Closure Orders and two Prohibition Orders were issued under the EU Regulations.
Common reasons for the Enforcement Orders in October included:
- Evidence of rodent activity in food handling and storage areas – including rat droppings in kitchens and cleaning equipment stores, a dead rat under a dishwasher, and mice droppings in presses and drawers containing food and utensils.
- Inadequate pest proofing and a failure to clean and disinfect affected areas following rodent activity.
- Sightings of mice near delicatessen counters.
- Food handling staff lacking appropriate training or supervision.
- Insufficient evidence of an effective Food Safety Management System based on HACCP principles.
- Inadequate procedures for the safe thawing of foodstuffs.
- Poor cleaning and disinfection of food preparation areas and equipment.
- Mould growth and dirt build-up behind kitchen chill units.
- Absence of hot water, hand soap, and paper towels at wash hand basins.
- Faulty drainage systems discharging into open containers.
- Food placed on the market without proper labelling or traceability documentation.
FSAI Chief Executive Mr Greg Dempsey said: “October’s Enforcement Orders once again highlight the importance of maintaining strong food safety and hygiene practices across all food businesses. Issues such as inadequate pest control, poor cleaning standards and unsafe food storage continue to be the main reasons for enforcement action. These are entirely preventable non-compliances when proper food safety management systems are in place.
“While the majority of food businesses take their legal responsibilities very seriously, we continue to see a small number of businesses subject to enforcement action, including closure, due to their non-compliances with basic food safety standards.”
He added: “With the busy Christmas period fast approaching, we are reminding food businesses to start preparing now so that they have robust food safety procedures in place to deal with increased demands and pressures on their business. Food safety must always be their top priority.”
Separately, one prosecution was taken by the HSE during October.
Don’t risk enforcement action or business closure. If your food business requires onsite Food Safety/HACCP training, contact SafeHands Health and Safety Solutions today. Our expert trainers can deliver practical, compliant, and industry-tailored training at your premises to help your team maintain the highest standards of food safety and hygiene.
Get in touch to schedule your onsite training and ensure your business stays inspection-ready and compliant year-round.