Five Closure Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:

• Haperty Limited – Trading at Mind Mega Mela 2025 (Closed activity: the activity associated with the handling, preparation and cooking of raw fish and raw poultry for sale to members of the public) (Takeaway), Finglas Dublin
• Spice Village & Indian Kebab House Tarbert, Kerry
• Houda Foods (Wholesaler/ Distributor), Ballinlough, Roscommon
• Heyba’s Kitchen, Shed A3 Bremore Farm, Balbriggan, County Dublin
• Stop n Shop Convenience Store, 52-54 Tullow Street, Carlow

Five Closure Orders were served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on:

• Kerala Royal Caters (Service Sector), Unit 27C, Ashbourne Business Centre, Ashbourne, Meath
• Pizza Corner (Take Away), Caherconlish, Limerick
• Shake Dog (Restaurant/ Café), Showgrounds Shopping Centre, Clonmel, Tipperary
• Thindi (Service Sector), 143 Phibsborough Road, Dublin 7
• Tasty Food (Takeaway), Cross Avenue, Ballyneety, Limerick

Two Prohibition Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:

• Haperty Limited (Trading at Mind Mega Mela 2025) (Takeaway), Finglas, Dublin 11
• Noor Halal (Butcher Shop), Dundalk, Louth

Three Prohibition Orders were served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on:

• Kerala Royal Caters (Service Sector), Unit 27C, Ashbourne Business Centre, Ashbourne, Meath
• Houda Foods (Wholesaler/ Distributor), Ballinlough Business Park, Ballinlough, Roscommon
• Domestic Kitchen at East Road, East Wall, Dublin 3

Some of the reasons for the Enforcement Orders in May include: an unregistered business operating in a shed building where the other half of the shed was a working car workshop; an identification mark belonging to an approved establishment was unlawfully used on food products that had been produced in an unapproved domestic kitchen; inadequate pest control measures; presence of rodent droppings and dead insects in food handling and storage areas; visible mouse droppings; no food safety management system in place; food stored at incorrect temperatures in a container on the grass for an unknown period of time; inadequate hygiene, cleaning, and sanitation practices, including lack of hot water, hand soap, and lack of handwashing during food preparation; black grime, food debris and grease on all floors under the sinks, and oil under the counters and fryers; grease residue dripping on to the floor next to the grease trap area, from a large utensil used for food; lack of labelling, traceability, and supplier documentation for food products.

Mr Greg Dempsey, Chief Executive, FSAI, warned that every food business must be registered with a competent authority and that all food businesses have a legal obligation to ensure the food they sell is safe to eat.

“The high number of Enforcement Orders in May is disappointing, especially as the type of non-compliances, such as unclean premises and pest infestations, are all preventable where the business has a food safety management system in place and staff are properly trained. Additionally, while the vast majority of food businesses comply with their legal requirement to register their business prior to operating, unfortunately, some choose to operate without the knowledge or supervision of the competent authorities, potentially exposing consumers to unsafe or fraudulent food. These businesses will be pursued using the legal powers available to us. The FSAI website has a wealth of free information for any food business to access if they need help. We also have a free Learning Portal to assist in building compliance by food businesses and it includes eLearning modules, webinars, short videos, and explanatory materials covering a broad range of relevant food safety topics,” said Mr Dempsey.

Also, during the month of April a Prohibition Order was served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:

• La Citadel, Glebe House, River Mall, Main Street, Swords, County Dublin

Details of the food businesses served with Enforcement Orders are published on the FSAI’s website at www.fsai.ie. Closure Orders and Improvement Orders will remain listed in the enforcement reports on the website for a period of three months from the date of when a premises is adjudged to have corrected its food safety issue, with Prohibition Orders being listed for a period of one month. 

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It says the future of small, mostly family-owned shops around the country is a concern for many people, particularly those who live in rural Ireland.

Flora Crowe employs around 50 people across two retail outlets in Sixmilebridge, Co Clare.

Her family has a 40-year history in the retail sector, which she says is particularly challenging these days on the cost and security front.

Flora told RTE “We can’t escape the cost of wages, and we don’t know where we’re going yet with the sick pay increase and the auto-enrolment scheme. The fact they are paused is, I know, unfair on employees but we need a breather and if we can’t afford to pay these wages there will be no jobs. The last thing I want to do is cut hours. We have a fantastic workforce, and we don’t want to lose anyone.”

Newly-appointed President of the CSNA Sara Orme runs a retail and forecourt outlet, along with her husband Paul, in Devlin, Co Westmeath. Day-to-day running costs is something that Sara is concerned with.

Sara told RTE that “We’re 19 years here in April. Electricity was the big cost after Covid and Ukraine. We’ve had to become more energy efficient like doors on fridges and upgrade ovens. That has really helped.

“Waste disposal is another one and we’re really big here on recycling. We’ve really cut our prices there,” said Ms Orme, who employs 14 people.”

Gerry and Patsy Morrissey were also featured in the RTE report. They have been running Morrissey’s shop and post office in Kilmurry McMahon in west Clare for more than 40 years.

A member of the Morrissey family has operated the outlet since a shop was first opened at the location in 1869.

Gerry Morrissey, who took over the running of the shop in 1980, told RTE: “It’s great to think that we have been here that length of time. We are proud of that.”

While Gerry and Patsy are the only full-time employees, rising product costs are also a significant factor.

“Even the bar of chocolate is gone up so much,” Patsy told RTE.

“Was it last week that butter and bread went up €1 between the two of them? We don’t get an extra euro in on our income. I’d say people are finding it difficult.”

Another big cost is security and it is one that is rising.

“We’re in business 40 years and we’ve always had a certain level of crime. But since Covid there has been a marked increase in crime,” Ms Crowe said.

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