Live cockroaches and dead rats among reasons for food business closures in December

There was evidence of 'cockroach infestation' in the main kitchen area of one café. File photo

Nine business were forced to close for breaking food safety regulations in December — with live cockroaches, a decomposed rat carcass and a "complete lack of cleaning" among the reasons why.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) published their report for December on Thursday.

Six of the nine broke the FSAI's own regulations.

• Takeaway Express on Northgate Street in Athlone, Co Westmeath, closed on December 13 and reopened on December 16. Rodent droppings were found by the FSAI inspector in the dry good store, behind a mixer and a dough fridge. Furthermore, there was a hole in the back wall which led to the outside and two open pipes also running through an external wall.
• Numidia Café on Richmond Street South in Co Dublin closed on December 3 and reopened on December 19. There was evidence of "cockroach infestation" in the main kitchen area. This included live cockroaches observed in the sticky trap that was hung on the wall and live cockroaches found behind the cover of the chest freezer beside the pizza oven in the main kitchen area.
• Lam's Asian Cuisine & Eskimo Pizza on Green Street in Co Kilkenny was told to close December 5 but reopened on December 11. There were rat droppings and a decomposed carcass of a rat on the floor under a crate storing opened bags of rice in the basement food store. Furthermore, opened bags of foods such as noodles, rice, flour and Chinese herbs were observed in the basement food store where flies, rat droppings, and a rat carcass were present.
• Murphys Fish and Chips on John Street in Co Waterford was shut on December 9 and reopened on January 7. There was "visual sighting of live and dead cockroaches" throughout the food storage and preparation areas. Cockroaches were observed in equipment and on walls, floors and ceilings.
• K&Q Snacks Limited in Glasnevin in Co Dublin also suffered with rodent droppings. It closed on December 12 and is yet to reopen.
• Cork Rooftop Farm on Cornmarket Street was shut on December 20 and reopened on January 3. They were told to close due to evidence of rodent activity which presented an "immediate danger" to public health.

Three businesses broke EU regulations on food safety in December.

These were: 

• Panda Chinese Take Away, Main Street, Clogheen, Co Tipperary, which closed on December 11 and is yet to reopen. The layout and size of the take away did not permit "good hygiene practices", the FSAI inspector said. Mouse droppings and an "accumulation of dirt and grease" were also visible.
• Asian Express in Raheny, Dublin, was shut due to "heavy rodent (rat) activity in the premises" on December 2. It reopened on December 11.
• Taro Noodle & Sushi Bar, which operated out of the same building in Raheny, Co Dublin, closed and reopened on the same dates for the same reason.

In total, 133 enforcement orders were served on businesses in 2024 — an increase of 45 on the 92 that were served in 2023.

A number of recurring food safety issues identified in food businesses resulted in orders being issued, including a lack of pest control procedures; inadequate regular and thorough cleaning; failure to maintain correct temperatures of foodstuffs; unsuitable food storage facilities; and inadequate staff training in relation to food safety and hygiene.

Commenting on the annual figures, Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive of FSAI, said that the increase in Enforcement Orders in 2024 was "unacceptable".

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She said: "Consumers have a right to safe food and negligent food practices are inexcusable. The types of reasons cited are simple errors that should not be happening in any food business. 

"Enforcement Orders, especially closure and prohibition orders, are never issued for minor breaches; they are served only when a serious risk to consumer health is identified or when ongoing breaches of food legislation pose significant hygiene or operational issues. 

"While the majority of food businesses comply with the legislation, it is unacceptable to see recurring issues that are entirely avoidable. These fundamental breaches not only pose a potential risk to consumer health, but also undermine consumer trust. Food businesses must take responsibility and ensure compliance with food safety legislation at all times."