An Asian market in Dublin, a delicatessen in Roscrea and an Edenderry takeaway were ordered to close last month because they posed a danger to public health.
Crawfords Shop (delicatessen and store areas only), Main Street, Roscrea, Tipperary, Pak Asian Market, Talbot Street, Dublin, and Sunrise, JKL Street, Edenderry, Offaly, were served with closure orders by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland in April.
Closure orders are only issued when there is likely to be a grave and immediate danger to public health at, or in, the premises, according to the authority.
One improvement order and one prohibition order were served on food premises last month. The South Western Area Health Board served an improvement order on the Earl of Kildare Hotel, Kildare Street, Dublin. A prohibition order was served by the South Eastern Health Board on a butcher, Martin Doyle and Sons Ltd, Court Street, Enniscorthy, Wexford.
An improvement order is issued by the District Court if an improvement notice is not complied with. If the order is not complied with, a closure order may be served. A prohibition order is issued if the activities of the business (handling, processing, disposal, manufacturing, storage, distribution or selling food) are likely to involve a serious risk to public health from a particular product, class, batch or item of food.
So far this year 21 enforcement orders, 18 closure orders, two improvement orders and one prohibition order have been issued.
To increase the level of compliance with the law and to enhance food safety, the authority recently launched two new training programmes. Food Safety and You is a basic induction programme for all food businesses and Food Safety Training is geared towards management in the Chinese food sector.
Mr Peter Whelan, of the food authority, said employers are legally obliged to ensure that all staff involved in food production or preparation are adequately trained and/or supervised in food hygiene practices.