Twelve closure orders and one prohibition order were served on Irish food businesses in July for breaches of food safety legislation, according to reports from Ireland’s equivalent to the Food and Drug Administration, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI). The problems reported by FSAI involved violations of either the FSAI Act of 1998 or the European Commission’s Official Control of Foodstuffs Regulations of 2010. The Enforcement Orders were issued by environmental health officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE). Five Closure Orders served under the FSAI Act, 1998, went to: • Blueberries “Pop Up” restaurant, No. 13 Lower Cork St., Mitchelstown, Cork; • Fade Street Social restaurant, 4-6 Fade St., Dublin 2; • The Spice House restaurant, 2 Church St., Cavan; • Nite Star takeaway, Main St., Glenties, Donegal, and • Majas Virtue food stall, Trading at Farmleigh Estate, Phoenix Park, Castleknock, Dublin 15. Seven Closure Orders served under the EC’s Official Control of Foodstuffs Regulations, 2010, went to: • Chen’s Chinese takeaway, Parnell St., Mountmellick, Laois; • Cashel takeaway foodstall, Cashel, Achill, Mayo; • The Jolly Roger public house, Sherkin Island, Skibbereen, Cork; • Sandyford House restaurant, Sandyford Village, Sandyford, Dublin 18; • Azeem Meat and Grocery butcher, 2 Pound St., Edgeworthstown, Longford; • Lucky Dragon takeaway, 70 Fassaugh Ave., Cabra, Dublin 7, and • Craigs Fresh wholesale, Drumnabratty, Raphoe, Donegal. The single Prohibition Order served under the EC’s Official Control of Foodstuffs Regulations, 2010, went to: • Kearney’s Restaurant, Main Street, Tallow, Waterford. During the month of July, a successful prosecution was carried out by the HSE on: • Dragon Inn Chinese takeaway, 109 Newport Terrace, Barrack St., Waterford. The establishment is under new ownership. Commenting on the number of Enforcement Orders served in July, Pamela Byrne, FSAI chief executive, stated that it is of the utmost importance that consumers are confident at all times that the food they are purchasing and eating is safe. “There are simply no excuses for putting consumers’ health at risk through sub-standard food hygiene practices,” she said. “The summer months are busy months for food businesses and systems must be put in place to cope with the increase in customers. We are re-emphasizing to all food businesses that they must comply with food safety and hygiene laws at all times. It is essential that all food businesses have the appropriate food safety management systems and procedures in place and that all staff are fully trained to ensure these systems and procedures are adhered to all times.” (To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)