A sharp drop in the number of businesses breaking food safety laws last year has been welcomed by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI).
Some 41 enforcement orders were served on food businesses in 2005 compared with 62 the previous year - a drop of nearly 34 per cent.
A total of 27 closure orders were issued, compared with 42 in 2004. Two improvement orders and 12 prohibition orders were served on food premises in 2005, also a significant drop on the previous year's figures.
Twelve improvement orders and eight prohibition orders were served in 2004.
The FSAI said this was an encouraging sign but urged all food businesses to place food safety and hygiene practices top of their agenda for 2006 or face the "full rigours of the law".
Three business were closed by environmental health officers in December.
In the HSE Western Region, a closure order was served on Murphy's Cottage, Sli na Mara, Shannon, Co Clare. In the HSE Dublin Mid-Leinster Region, a closure order was served on Oriental Fusion, Aughrim, Co Wicklow. The third closure order was served by environmental health officers in the HSE Southern Region on Xing Da, 38 Kenyon Street, Nenagh, Co Tipperary.
FSAI chief executive Dr John O'Brien welcomed the fall in enforcement orders served in 2005, which he said suggests food businesses are now more aware of the need to abide by the law for maximum consumer protection.
He said the FSAI would like to see a situation where no enforcement orders are served.
New EU legislation that came into effect on January 1 stputs the legal obligation on food businesses to bear full responsibility for the safety of food produced.