A popular Dublin pub is among seven premises that were issued with closure orders by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) last month.
The Hole In The Wall, located on Blackhorse Avenue next to the Phoenix Park in Dublin 7, was instructed to close part of the property due to the presence of rodent droppings.
The pub, which is recognised as Europe’s longest pub measuring 100m, was also found to have a number of holes in its walls, meaning they were not protected against contamination from pests.
Inspectors ordered that all first-floor storerooms where food and food contact materials are stored and the ground floor kitchen where the preparation and service of food take place are closed.
“The food business operator failed to maintain the premises in a clean condition with a significant number of rodent droppings found also leading to a risk of contamination of food contact materials and packaging,” the FSAI said.
“The rooms used to hold Christmas decorations were inaccessible due to the level of black bags, in turn providing ample harbourage for pests,” it added.
Dried mouse droppings were found on the floor next to bottles of coffee syrups and boxes of straws, biscuits and crisps in a storeroom, as well as in a box containing a card machine, a milk jug and syrup pumps.
Elsewhere, Indian restaurant Sheela Palace at the Liffey Valley Complex, Fonthill Road, Clondalkin in Dublin 22 was ordered to close completely due to a “a grave and immediate danger to public health”.
Inspectors said a rat carcass was found in an area near the kitchen, with rat droppings and a high bait consumption also found on the premises.
A prefab food storage unit at a Mace newsagents on the Slane Road in Harmonstown, Navan, Co Meath, was also issued with a closure order as the ceiling was in disrepair and had subsequently fallen into the room.
Four other closure orders were served on food businesses in May including:
- A table serving food (Retailer), Trading at Fairgreen Shopping Centre, Mullingar, Westmeath
- Shapla Indian Spice (Restaurant/Café), Hanover Court, Kennedy Avenue, Carlow
- Captain’s Catch (Takeaway), Parnell Street, Limerick
- Jilly & Joe’s (Restaurant/Café), Dove Hill Centre, Ballynoran Carrick-on-Suir, Tipperary
FSAI Chief Executive Greg Dempsey said the types of issues identified in a number of the closure orders were “concerning” and pointed to “clear failures in basic food safety controls”.
“We continue to see lapses in hygiene, cleaning and safe food handling practices, alongside evidence of pest activity in some food premises.
“These are fundamental requirements that every food business is legally obliged to meet. Food safety management systems are not optional; they must be properly implemented, maintained and monitored in practice.
“Where these basic standards are not met, there is a risk to public health and appropriate enforcement action will continue to be taken where necessary,” he said.
