A total of 14 closure orders have been issued so far this year against restaurants and other food premises for being "a grave and immediate danger to public health", the Food Safety Authority of Ireland has announced.
The latest closure order, which was served on May 14th but lifted five days later, was against Little Killary Adventure Centre in Leenane, Co Galway.
Four improvement orders, demanding better hygiene on threat of closure, were also served last month. Three of them were against outlets in the north Dublin area: the North Ocean takeaway, Clontarf; the Spanish Bar in the Epicurean Food Hall, Lower Liffey Street; and the Container Shop, Ballymun.
The fourth improvement order was against Canton City Chinese takeaway and restaurant, Carrigaline, Co Cork.
It brings to 11 the number of improvement orders issued by the District Courts this year. A single prohibition order, demanding a particular product or service be taken off the market, has also been served. Last year, 68 enforcement orders were served; 10 prohibition, 21 improvement and 37 closure.
Mr Alan Reilly, deputy chief executive of the FSAI, said while there was only a small number of businesses in breach of the legislation - 41,000 food premises operate in Ireland - 100 per cent compliance was the target.
"Every business along the food chain has to play its part if consumers are to be reassured that their interests are placed first and shoddy practices are eradicated."
The FSAI also yesterday announced a new consultation process on proposed new EU legislation on food controls.
The proposed regulations, which can be read on the authority's website (www.fsai.ie), seek to standardise hygiene rules and simplify existing laws.
