Nine businesses in Ireland were served with closure orders last month.

It comes as a dead rat was found underneath the sink of one establishment while another was found with profuse black mould. The orders were served on food businesses for breaches of food safety legislation, pursuant to the FSAI Act, 1998 and the EC (Official Control of Foodstuffs) Regulations, 2010. Five Closure Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:

• King Kebab (restaurant/café), 10 Sean Costello Street, Irishtown, Athlone, Westmeath
• Officers’ Mess (restaurant/café), Air Corps Headquarters, Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnell, Dublin 22
• Hot Krispy Chicken Ltd (takeaway), Unit 2, Eagle Court, Main Street, Clonee, Meath
• Fu Jing Chinese Takeaway, Collon, Louth
• Our Lady’s Hospital (Closed area: Male Medical Ward Kitchen only), Athboy Road, Navan, Meath

Four Closure Orders were served under the EC (Official Control of Foodstuffs) Regulations, 2010 on:

• Field’s Bakery (Closed area: Large storeroom to the left of the premises used for storage of food, food contact materials and food contact and equipment), Castletownshend Road, Carrigfadda, Skibbereen, Cork
• Natural Green (food processor), Unit C, Stadium Business Centre, Stadium Business Park, Ballycoolin, Dublin 15
• Mikes Pizza and Pasta (takeaway), Dublin Road, Ballinagh, Cavan
• Asian Wok, 35 O’Growney Street, Athboy, Meath

Speaking about the closures, Dr. Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive of the FSAI, said: “There were nine Closure Orders served on food businesses in December and common non-compliances are filthy conditions, poor hygiene and improper or no pest controlling systems in place. “Food safety legislation sets standards which food businesses must adhere to, and there can be no shortcuts when it comes to ensuring the protection of consumer health. It is of paramount importance that all food businesses must operate stringent food safety practices in order to ensure the food they are producing and selling to their customers is safe to eat. “The onus is on food businesses to comply with the law by ensuring that they and their staff are fully trained in the areas of food safety and hygiene, and to protect the health of their customers.” More details on the closure orders are available on the FSAI website here.