Hotel and two abattoirs receive closure orders
A total of seven enforcement orders were served on food premises last month, according to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland - a decrease of four on the same period in 2001.
The service section of the Hilltop Hotel in Youghal, Co Cork including a restaurant was also shutdown on August 1 following inspection by officials from the Southern Health Board.
However, it was allowed to re-open the following day after management had complied with certain conditions.
Two abattoirs in the Border area were ordered to close under food safety legislation last month. They were abattoirs run by Barney Connolly of Munelta, Stradone, Co Cavan and Liam Nicholl of Lower Fermanagh St, Clones, Co Monaghan.
Mr Nicholl, who also runs a butcher shop in Clones, was served with an additional order instructing him that sheep carcasses were not to be used for human consumption and were to be destroyed in a prescribed manner.
A prohibition order was also made on Goslin's pub in Ballycanew, Gorey, Co Wexford. The publican, Aidan Moran, was instructed to withdraw all sandwiches, ice-cream and other high risk food from sale immediately.
Improvement orders were issued by environmental health officers in July to the owners of a Rathfarnham pub, the Eden Gate Lodge; Fusciardi's Takeaway in Terenure and a Betta Buy supermarket in Crumlin.
FSAI spokesperson, Peter Whelan, said the reduction in enforcement orders issued last month in comparison to July 2001 was heartening.
"It is encouraging to see a gradual decline in the amount of closure orders being served. Irish food businesses are beginning to realise that the future of their business lies in their own hands," said Mr Whelan. "Most businesses are committed to high standards for the health of their customers and the good of their business. For those without that commitment, we hope that the threat of being published will push businesses to maintain standards."
