Safety body shuts down two illegal abattoirs in Cavan

The Food Safety Authority has shut down two slaughterhouses that had been operating illegally in Co Cavan.

The authority said today that the abattoirs in Ballyconnell and Belturbet were closed down by veterinary inspectors who visited the premises last month.

Elsewhere, closure orders were also served on a Jack Bans Take Away in Kilcar, Co Donegal, O'Connor's Restaurant in Ennis, Co Clare, and a the Peng Lai Chinese Grocery on Dublin's Parnell Street.

Closure orders are served when inspectors find there is a grave and immediate threat to public health.

They can refer to the immediate closure of all or part of a food premises, or all or some of its activities.

The Food Safety Authority says the high level of closures it was forced to impose in July was unacceptable as it damaged consumer confidence in the entire food industry.