Rodent droppings and 'dozens of cockroaches' among reasons for latest food business closures

A dozen enforcement orders were served on Irish food businesses in June. Picture: Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) issued 12 enforcement orders on businesses across Ireland in June.

The organisation, which is the State body responsible for ensuring standards are maintained by food businesses, closed the restaurants, cafes, and takeaways for hygienic and storage reasons.

In one case a restaurant was closed after it was found to have "dozens" of live cockroaches roaming around it.

Five closure orders were issued after breaking the FSAI's own laws. 

Shi Wang Yun on Dublin's Parnell St had "heavy cockroach activity in the kitchen" when inspected by the FSAI.

The closure order revealed that "dozens of live cockroaches were spotted moving around food preparation areas, on the walls, floors, fridges, and inside food storage containers".

A number of dead cockroaches were also found on the premises, which is yet to reopen after being served the order on June 27.

Lynn's Pantry in Tullamore, Co Offaly, was closed on June 16 due to an "unsatisfactory level of hygiene", with walls and floors "encrusted with dirt, rubbish, and food debris".

Dead flies and insects were noted throughout the food preparation and storage areas of Lynn's Pantry, which is yet to reopen.

Discoveryland Creche & Montessori in Wexford was ordered to close on June 13 due to visible rodent droppings "on the same shelf" as fruit juice cartons for children were being stored. It reopened on June 19.

The Music Café on Wellington Quay in Dublin 2 was closed from June 8 to June 21 due to the "significant amount of rodent droppings" noted throughout, including in food storage areas and service areas.

Five further businesses were ordered to close by the FSAI after breaking EU regulations.

Into the West, a pub in Frenchpark, Co Roscommon, had its kitchen closed after a "large hole was discovered" in a walk-in refrigerator and "appalling" conditions on the date of inspection included insects in a box of chocolate swirls and vol-eu-vents.

The kitchen reopened on June 27, having been closed on June 23.

Mizzonis Pizza Café in Lucan, Dublin, was closed for 11 days, from June 19 to June 30, after inspectors discovered rodent activity on the premises, including in the ice-cream service area.

Wok on Inn on Amiens St had major issues with a basement where food was being stored and defrosted.

It was hit with a closure order on June 15, which was lifted on June 21.

Chef Kebab on Castle St, Roscommon, was found to have multiple issues including potatoes being peeled and chipped in "an area which was not properly constructed" and a "poor level of cleaning", with hands not being washed at any stage during the two-hour inspection.

J2 Sushi in Jervis Shopping Centre in Dublin closed for eight days (June 8 to June 16) as there was no "effective management system for food safety", with staff also unaware of the consequences. 

Two orders were served on Iceland Ireland.

Iceland in the Bargaintown Complex, Coolock, Dublin, was found to have "heavy rodent activity", with droppings found in a packet of open biscuits which were on sale, and packets of crisps having bite marks "consistent" with mouse activity.

Earlier in June, as part of an FSAI order to withdraw all frozen products from stores, a number of outlets had closed.

A prohibition order was also served on OnlyFish! in Ovens, Co Cork, due to a failure to store a consignment of white fish correctly.

The order, served on June 2, had not been lifted at time of writing.