Two popular Dublin bars were among a number of businesses served with closure orders for breaches of food safety legislation in November and December.
New figures from the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) reveal that in the last two months of 2008, six closure orders and three prohibition orders were served on food businesses.
Among the premises which were served with closure orders were Nearys on Chatham Street and O'Donoghues on Suffolk Street, both in Dublin 2.
Closure orders were also served on the Rangoli restaurant in Clonee, Co Meath, Akanchawa's Honey Pot restaurant in Dublin 7, the Piece of Cake food stall, at the Farmers Market, West Pier, Howth, and Morning Star grocery, Flowerhill, Navan, Co Meath.
Closure orders are served by environmental health officers where there is, or is likely to be, a grave and immediate danger to public health due to food practices or conditions at a premises. They can refer to the immediate closure of all or part of the food premises, or all or some of its activities.
Nearys was also served with a prohibition order during the final two months of 2008 along with the Gaiety Theatre in South King Street, Dublin 2 and the Wild Honey restaurant, in Tinahely, Co Wicklow.
Prohibition orders are issued if food-related activities such as handling, processing, disposal, manufacturing, storage, distribution or selling food involve or are likely to involve a serious risk to public health from a particular product or item of food. The effect is to prohibit the sale of the item, either temporarily or permanently.
A total of 45 enforcement orders were served for breaches in food safety legislation last year, compared to 59 in 2007.
The FSAI said it welcomed the overall reduction in enforcement orders, but stated that food businesses must continue to adhere to best food safety practices as they are legally obliged to provide safe food.
Between 1st January and 31st December 2008, enforcement officers served 34 closure orders, five improvement orders and six prohibition orders on food businesses throughout the country. This compares to 37 closure orders, six improvement orders and 16 prohibition orders in 2007.
Of the 34 closure orders served in 2008, five still remain in place.
"A downward trend in the level of enforcement orders served is welcome. However, it is clear that work still needs to be done by the industry to continue to reduce the number of closure prders served in 2009," said Dr John O'Brien, chief executive, FSAI.
"The same recurring, but easily preventable faults, continue to contribute to the closure of food businesses and this must be addressed by the industry. Food business operators should take full advantage of the information and support made available by the FSAI to ensure a basic and consistent food safety management plan is developed and put in place in line with legal requirements", he added.
