There was a dramatic increase in the number of closure orders served on businesses last month for breaches of food safety legislation.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) issued closure orders on ten businesses in June, compared to just four in May.
A closure order is issued if health inspectors deem there is, or there is likely to be, a grave and immediate danger to public health at the food premises. The order can refer to the immediate closure of all or part of the business, or all or some of its activities.
Closure orders were served on the Tasty Hut on Upper Dorset Street, Bombay Spice on South Circular Road and The Tasty on Thomas Street, all in Dublin last month.
Orders were also issued to the Punjabi Taste in Dungarvan, Co Waterford; The New Geneva Indian Restaurant in Passage East, also in Co Waterford; The Punjab Curry House in Schull, Co Cork; Trinity Rooms in Limerick city; Hamdans Kebab House in Mallow, Co Cork; Dolce Mundo in Navan, Co Meath; and to Siopa Iasc (Moycullen Foods) wholesaling activities in Moycullen, Co Galway.
A prohibition Order was also served on Sligo Spice and Halal Point of Connolly Street, Sligo.
Businesses are served with prohibition orders if their activities involve or are likely to involve a serious risk to public health from a particular product, class, batch or item of food
Last month also saw a successful prosecution by the HSE West Region against the Brewery Bar in Letterkenny Co Donegal.
The authority's chief executive Prof Alan Reilly said the increase in closure orders was both disappointing and unacceptable.
"Consumers have to be confident that the food they are eating is safe to eat and the FSAI and enforcement officers will continue to use a zero tolerance policy in relation to breaches of food safety legislation," he said.
