Source: Shutterstock/Davemart30

A COUNTY MEATH pizzeria was closed in December after a sewage blockage saw human excrement ‘bubbling up’ in a staff toilet which adjoined a food preparation area.

Athboy Pizzas was served with the closure on 5 December following an inspection. The order was lifted the following day.

The inspection report itself, which can be read here, describes how there was a “blockage in the sewage pipe discharging from the staff toilet at the time of the inspection”.

The blockage in question extended to the waste water outlets servicing the kitchen sinks.

The closure order served against Athboy Pizzas Source: FSAI

“The toilet bowl was full of human excrement. When taps were turned throughout the food business the human excrement was observed bubbling up through the toilet bowl,” the order reads.

The closure was one of seven ruled upon by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) in December following health inspections.

The other orders served include:

• Ruposhe Indian Restaurant in Drumcondra, north Dublin, was closed for a week from 20 December after the discovery of a cockroach infestation.
• Cartons Daybreak, at the Ontrac service station in Camolin, Co Wexford, was found to have “prolific evidence of mouse droppings” throughout the store. It was closed for three days from 6 December

Ruposhe Indian Takeaway, Drumcondra, Dublin Source: Google Maps

• Well-known burrito chain Boojum had one of its outlets at Blanchardstown in Dublin closed for four days from 1 December due to no hot or cold running water being available on the premises – this represented a “grave and immediate danger to public health” according to the closure order

Elsewhere, Tigh Giblin restaurant in Spiddal, Galway, was closed for three days between 15 and 18 December, Rose Garden Chinese restaurant was closed for six days from 7 December, and China Town takeaway in Castlebellingham, Louth, was closed for four days from 1 December.

One prosecution was taken by the HSE during November – against Chef’s Corner takeaway in Cork, stemming from an offence dating from December 2016. That prosecution saw costs incurred against the establishment of €5,600, whil a fine of €100 was also applied.

Read: Dublin City Council to spend €230,000 lowering Clontarf sea wall to improve view for motorists

Read: Business degree no longer required as GAA extend search for new Director-General