EIGHT FOOD BUSINESSES were served closure orders last month, with six of them being in Dublin.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) issued the orders in April for breaches of food safety legislation.

The closures were issued by environmental health officers in the HSE. All premises have now re-opened.

Four Dublin-based restaurants and one Dublin food market were served orders under the FSAI Act, 1998.

The five premises were:

• Jaffa restaurant, 10 Burgh Quay, Dublin 2 The closure order was issued on 27 April and lifted a day later.
• Anu’s Kitchen restaurant, Unit 3, Glen Abbey Complex, Belgard Road, Tallaght, Dublin 24  The closure order was issued on 21 April and lifted 6 days later.
• Asian Spices Food Market grocery, 12 Moore Street, Dublin 1  The closure order was issued on 05 April and lifted two days later.
• Buffet 79 restaurant, 10 Moore Street, Dublin 1 The closure order was issued on 05 April and lifted 3 days later.
• Chill Out Break Café restaurant, 11 Moore Street, Dublin 1  The closure order was issued 05 April and lifted 6 days later.

Three further closure orders were issued under the EC (Official Control of Foodstuffs) regulations, 2010.

The businesses were:

• Relish restaurant, Unit G8 & 9, Dundrum Village Centre, Dundrum, Dublin The closure order was issued on 22 April  and lifted 11 days later.
• Wok Inn Chinese Take Away, Lower Main Street, Ferns, Wexford The closure order was issued on 19 April and lifted 8 days later.
• Lotus restaurant, 70 South Main Street, Wexford.

The Lotus restaurant was issued its closure order on 06 April and was lifted 22 days later on 28 April.

Commenting on the closure orders, Chief Executive of the FSAI, Dr Pamela Byrne said:

There are absolutely no excuses for these breaches of food law.

She warned that the legal onus is on food businesses to ensure they fully comply with food safety legislation at all times.

She said:

While the vast majority of food businesses are compliant with food safety and hygiene requirements, unfortunately food inspectors continue to encounter cases where consumers’ health is put at possible risk through negligent practices.

There have been a total of 28 closure orders issued in 2016, along with two prohibition orders.

Dr Byrne added:

 “We’re urging all food businesses to ensure that they have a food safety management system in place and that it is consulted and updated on a regular basis to avoid non-compliance issues.

Full details of the food businesses served with enforcement orders are available on the FSAI website at www.fsai.ie.

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