The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has confirmed that ten Enforcement Orders were served on food businesses in April for serious breaches of food safety legislation. These orders, issued by Environmental Health Officers from the HSE, highlight the ongoing challenges some businesses face in meeting basic hygiene and safety standards.
According to the FSAI, two Closure Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998, while six Closure Orders and two Improvement Orders were issued under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020. The violations that led to these actions were wide-ranging and, in many cases, easily preventable.
Key Issues Behind the Enforcement Orders
Among the common breaches were:
- Lack of pest control documentation and evidence of mouse droppings in food areas.
- Presence of flies in kitchens with no fly screens installed.
- Staff demonstrating no knowledge of food safety procedures.
- Use of inadequate or uncalibrated equipment for monitoring food temperatures.
- No supporting evidence for use-by dates on defrosted foods.
- Lack of basic cleaning and disinfection protocols.
- No hot water or dedicated handwashing facilities in food prep areas.
- Kitchens heavily stained with visible dirt and grease.
- Poorly maintained customer toilet facilities.
- An outdoor sink discharging over an open drainage gully, posing a serious contamination risk.
A Clear Reminder of Legal and Ethical Responsibility
Greg Dempsey, Chief Executive of the FSAI, strongly emphasised that food businesses must act responsibly and take all necessary steps to ensure the food they serve is safe. He warned that these failures reflect a serious disregard for basic food hygiene practices – practices that are entirely preventable through proper training, vigilance, and commitment to food safety standards.
“Consumers have a right to trust that the food they buy is safe to eat and that it complies with all relevant food safety legislation... There are simply no excuses for failing to comply with the law,” Mr Dempsey said.
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