A Carlow restaurant was among 11 food businesses closed across the country in June following food safety concerns.
La Fermier Restaurant at Haymarket Carlow was shut under the EC (Official Control of Foodstuffs) Regulations, 2010.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has said 11 closure orders were issued to food businesses in June.
Reasons for the closures included evidence of a cockroach infestation, rodent droppings and "a dead mouse found next to a fridge".
The month of June has seen the highest number of closure orders issued this year.
The FSAI say the 11 orders were issued by environmental health officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE).
In a statement on their website, the FSAI say five closure orders were served under the EC (Official Control of Foodstuffs) Regulations, 2010 on:
- Hamdan's Kebab House (Restaurant/Café), The Square, Galbally, Limerick
- Le Fermier (Restaurant/Café), Haymarket, Carlow
- The Indian Castle Restaurant (Restaurant/Café), 21 Upper Castle Street, Tralee, Kerry
- Nuremore Hotel & Country Club (Closed area: main kitchen and function kitchen) (Service Sector – residential), Carrickmacross, Monaghan
- Golden Sea Restaurant (Restaurant/Café), Thomas Street, Castlebar, Mayo
A further six closure orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:
- Centra Kennas (Retailer - Other), 68 Fassaugh Avenue, Cabra, Dublin 7
- His Food (Restaurant/Café), Moore Street Mall, 58-66 Parnell Street, Dublin 1
- Steam, Asian Street Food (Restaurant/Café), Kitchen 4, Moore Street Mall, Moore Street, Dublin 1
- Mroz (Retailer - Other), Moore Street Mall, 58-66 Parnell Street, Dublin 1
- Gorace Gary (Restaurant/Café), Moore Street Mall, 58-66 Parnell Street, Dublin 1
- Burger Bite (Take Away), Main Street, Foynes, Limerick
The food safety body highlighted some of the reasons for the enforcement orders last month, stating that they included:
- A dead mouse found next to a fridge at the entrance to a kitchen;
- rodent droppings found under an equipment sink in a kitchen;
- evidence of a cockroach infestation;
- rodent droppings observed behind an ice cream machine;
- live cockroaches found in kitchen shelving areas;
- flies present throughout a premises;
- no hot water in any sink in a premises;
- food workers not wearing protective clothing;
- a refuse bag containing cooked spare ribs found in a large pot, stored in a kitchen at ambient temperature;
- an open cut with fresh blood was observed on a food worker’s finger.
Dr Pamela Byrne, the FSAI Chief Executive, called for better pest control systems to be used by food business.
"It is extremely disappointing to find that June is the highest month so far this year for Closer Orders served on food businesses," said Dr Byrne.
"The majority of food businesses in Ireland must be commended for adhering to the highest of food safety standards, but there continues to be a number of food businesses disregarding important food safety standards.
"Summer is a busy time of year for food businesses and systems must be put in place to cope with the increase in customers and at a time when outside temperatures can be a lot higher.
"Bacteria in food can multiply quickly in warm weather and food businesses must ensure that food is stored at correct temperatures.
"In June we saw a number of failures in pest control procedures resulting in a number of Closure Orders.
"These businesses are putting their customers at unnecessary risk of becoming sick through these poor hygiene practices and it will not be tolerated."
