The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) issued a total of 10 enforcement orders on food businesses in June for breaches of food safety legislation.

The enforcement orders were issued by environmental health officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE).

Among the reasons for the enforcement orders being served were a significant number of rodent droppings discovered in a kitchen and in a staff canteen.

In another case, pooling water from defrosting fish was mixed with blood and raw meat on the floor of a walk-in chiller.

An enforcement order was served when large quantities of cooked and raw high-risk foods were found to be stored at incorrect temperatures.

There were also incidents of food likely contaminated with the pathogen Listeria monocytogenes; inadequate layout, design, size and construction of a food preparation area; absence of rodent proofing; and no cleaning agents or detergent for cleaning and sanitising.

Greg Dempsey, chief executive of the FSAI, said that "every food business has a legal responsibility to ensure the food they produce is safe to eat".

"While we understand the daily pressures on businesses, food safety and hygiene standards must be maintained at all times.

"A robust food safety management system not only protects public health, but it also supports the long-term success of the food business.

"Non-compliance with food law is not tolerated and enforcement action will be taken where standards fall short," he added.

Four closure orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on the following businesses:

Doolin Ice Cream (Closed Area: The food store (located in the yard) Doolin Ice Cream) (Retailer), Fisher Street, Doolin, Clare;
Wee Care (RTÉ Creche) (Closed area: kitchen and staff canteen only), RTÉ, Donnybrook, Dublin 4;
All Bar Chicken Coolock (Service Sector), 10A, Ringguard House, Malahide Road Industrial Estate, Malahide Road, Coolock, Dublin 17;
Il Vicolo (Restaurant/ Café), Bridge Mills, O'Briens Bridge, Galway.

Four closure orders were served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on:

Tunisian Halal Butcher, located at Unit 8, Aldi Centre, St Margarets Road, Finglas, Dublin 11;
Zone Activity Centre (Closed activity: Part of the activities of the business, its establishments, holdings, or other premises be ceased. The food stall activity located in the carpark at Zone Activity Centre) (Restaurant/ Café), Unit 1& 2, Mullaghboy Industrial Estate, Mullaghboy, Navan, Meath;
Frenchpark Service Station (Closed area: The rear store room that is used to store foodstuffs), Dublin Road, Frenchpark, Roscommon;
Fresh Today (Closed activity: This closure order applies to the decanting and repacking of foodstuffs on the premises for retail to the final consumer, with the exception of fruit and vegetables) (Retailer), Athboy Road, Trim, Meath.

A prohibition order was served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on Ballymaguire Foods Unlimited Company (Other Composite Processing), Rathmooney, Lusk, County Dublin

In addition, a prohibition order was served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on: Elite Events and Caterers Food Stall operating at Kerala House Carnival, Fairyhouse, Ratoath, Co. Meath. The business has a registered address in Co. Kilkenny.