Non-compliance issues must be identified and dealt with fast

Prof. Alan Reilly: FSAI.

IRELAND: The Chief Executive of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has urged food businesses to put in place a food safety management system to eradicate any possible breaches of food hygiene laws. 

Professor Alan Reilly made the comments following today's report by the FSAI that shows eight enforcement order were served on food businesses last month.


The enforcement orders included seven closure orders, issued by environmental health officers from the HSE, and one prohibition order by officers from the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority.

“We’re urging food businesses to make sure that they have a food-safety management system in place and that it is consulted on a regular basis and updated, where necessary, to ensure non-compliance issues and breaches of food safety legislation don’t occur," Prof. Reilly said.

"We would encourage any food business operator who is unsure of what is legally required of them to contact us," he added.

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

• Shamrock Take Away, Unit 1a, Barrack Street, Carlow.
• The Red Store Bar & Restaurant, 150/151 North Main Street, Youghal, Cork.

Five closure orders was served under the EC (Official Control of Foodstuffs) Regulations, 2010 on:

• The Halfway House (restaurant) (kitchen only), Dooleague, Islandeady, Castlebar, Mayo.
• Ravi’s Kitchen (restaurant), First Floor, 174 Pembroke Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.
• Mario’s Take Away, Main Street, Mountrath, Laois.
• Country Meats (butcher), Coneyburrow Road, Lifford, Donegal.
• The Potato Market (restaurant), 1 Donovan Wharf, Crescent Quay, Wexford.

PROHIBITION ORDER
The prohibition order was served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:

• Shellfish de la Mer (fish processing), Castletownbere, Cork.

PROSSECUTION
A successful prosecution by the HSE was carried out against Pakway Distributors Limited, 29 Orion Business Campus, Rosemount Business Park, Ballycoolin, Dublin 15.

Prof. Reilly said that while most food businesses do follow high standards and are compliant with food safety legislation. However, the FSAI continues to encounter cases where consumers’ health is jeopardised through failure to comply with safety and hygiene requirements.
 
LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
Any food operator who is unsure of what is legally required of them can contact the FSAI through their advice line on 1890 336677, or their website www.fsai.ie.

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 on the website for a period of three months from the date of when a premise is adjudged to have corrected its food safety issue, with Prohibition Orders being listed for a period of one month.

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