The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) served enforcement orders on 11 businesses in August, the highest number of orders served in one month since 2002. Of the 11, five were served due to concerns for public health.
The FSAI said yesterday it also served six prohibition orders on retail butcher outlets in Dublin for not complying with specified risk material legislation.
Under this law, butchers must be authorised to remove the vertebral column from bovine animals aged more than 24 months. It also prohibits the sale of beef on the bone from bovine animals over the same age.
However the Associated Craft Butchers of Ireland claimed: "It is not illegal to sell beef on the bone off an animal aged over 24 months provided the vertebral column has been removed."
The group also said the FSAI had neglected to mention Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan had announced on July 31st this law would soon be abolished.
The five businesses served with closure orders were the Hoo Xing restaurant in New Street, Co Roscommon; the Diamond Coast Hotel (catering facilities) in Enniscrone, Co Sligo; the Golden Star Chinese takeaway in Dunmore, Co Galway; Jack's takeaway, Parnell Street in Dublin, and the Crystal Palace restaurant in Kilcoole, Co Wicklow.
The prohibition orders were placed on Eurospar in Virginia, Co Cavan; Des Byrne Butchers, Shenick Road in Skerries, Co Dublin; Baxter Butchery in Balbriggan, Co Dublin; Seán Browne & Sons in Balbriggan, Co Dublin; Premier Meats Supply Company Ltd, Navan Road in Dublin; and Joe Carney Meats, Old Cabra Road in Dublin.