The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) issued closure orders against four premises within the last month, including an ice cream parlour in Swords, Co Dublin.
Closure orders were also issued against two Chinese takeways and a kebab shop in Co Dublin, Co Sligo and Co Dundalk.
Under the FSAI Act, 1998, a closure order is served where it is deemed that there is likely “a grave and immediate danger to public health” or where an Improvement Order is not complied with.
The FSAI also successfully prosecuted a chipper in Co Roscommon.
Roma Grill in Boyle was fined €500 and had to pay €4,000 in costs for food hygiene offences committed in November 2016.
A closure order relating to the rear store area was issued against Yo & More at the Pavilions Shopping Centre’s Ice Cream Kiosk, in Swords. The outlet is operated by FKD Juice Limited.
Zam Zam Kebab House, High Street, Sligo; New Great Wall Chinese Takeaway on Castletown Road, Dundalk, Co Louth and New Century Chinese and Thai Takeaway on Harts Corner in Co Dublin were also given closure orders.
All the restaurants except Yo & More, which was partly closed down last week, have since reopened.
The FSAI issued an order against butchers, PTM-Schabik of Park Road, Co Waterford prohibiting it from selling a varierty of meat products including jars of paté.
Food retailer Yemco Enterprise on Whitestown Road, Rush, Co Dublin was issued with an improvement order by the body.
Improvement Notices are issued for activities which could endanger health if they continue.
Dr Pamela Byrne, chief executive of the FSAI, welcomed the relatively small number of closure orders made in April but urged food retailers to be vigilant for food safety concerns.
“While most food businesses are committed to maintaining the highest standards of food safety for the health of their customers, unfortunately this is not always the case.
“Although, it is encouraging that there have only been two closure orders for the month of April, we are urging all food businesses to ensure that they have a robust food safety management system in place and that it is consulted on a regular basis and updated, where necessary, to ensure non-compliance issues and breaches of food safety legislation don’t occur.”
