In total 92 food businesses were served with legal orders for breaches of food safety law in 2023, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has said.

The number of enforcement orders served on food businesses last year was 19% higher than in 2022, annual figures published today (Thursday, January 11), show.

Last year 76 closure orders, three improvement orders, and 13 prohibition orders were served on food businesses. A total of 6 prosecutions were also taken, the FSAI said.

This includes four closure orders and one prohibition order served during December 2023 for reasons including "blood from raw ducks dripping onto ingredient bags and containers".

Two closure orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:

Sausage Paradise (butcher shop), Pound Street, Ballaghaderreen, Co. Roscommon
Padoca (restaurant/cafe), 64 Capel Street, Dublin 1

Two closure orders were served under EU regulations on:

Duck (restaurant/café), 15 Fade Street, Dublin 2
Golden Phoenix Chinese Restaurant, Main Street, Dunshaughlin, Co. Meath

One prohibition order was served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:

The Arch Bar, Main Street, Swords, Co. Dublin

Enforcement actions were led by the Health Service Executive (HSE), local authority veterinary inspectors, the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority, and the FSAI.

Further reasons for the enforcement orders in December include:

With water and blood-soaked cloths left on food preparation surfaces;
Flies observed on both raw ducks and equipment, with whole raw ducks submerged in water in both meat and vegetable sinks;
Floor, walls, shelves, equipment and staff uniforms contaminated with water and blood from the sink;
Visible mould growth on many structural and food contact surfaces, indicating an absence of adequate cleaning and disinfection;
Ongoing cockroach infestation evident in food preparation areas such as under fryer and in the fridge;
Absence of hand washing facilities in stations where raw meat is handled.

FSAI chief executive, Dr. Pamela Byrne said that while each of the enforcement orders was necessary to protect consumer health, there should not be breaches of food law in food businesses at all.

"It is a legal obligation for food businesses to ensure that they are proactive in adhering to food safety regulations," she said urging food businesses to promote a "culture of food safety".