'Pizza dough prepared near rat droppings' - Three businesses forced to shut in October
HSE inspectors believed hygiene standards posed a grave and immediate danger to public health as they shut down three food businesses last month
Three food businesses were ordered to shut their doors last month for reasons ranging from poor hygiene standards and “extensive” active rodent infestations found in food preparation areas.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has reported that Environmental Health Officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE) served three Closure Orders and one Prohibition Order on food businesses during the month of October for breaches of food safety legislation, pursuant to the FSAI Act, 1998 and the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020.
Two Closure Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998, on:
- Pizza Max (Restaurant/Café), 64 Talbot Street, Dublin 1
- JJ Ramen – Stillorgan (Take Away), 2 The Hill Stillorgan, County Dublin
One Closure Order was served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on:
- The Smoky Island (Retailer), Robinscourt Togher, Cork
One Prohibition Order was served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:
- The Smoky Island (Retailer), Robinscourt Togher, Cork
Among the reasons for the Enforcement Orders in October are:
- Evidence of an extensive active rodent infestation with rodent droppings present throughout the premises including under chest freezers, in and on food contact materials such as food delivery bags and in shelving units where food containers were stored;
- Evidence of gnawed packaging in a food storage area; raw meat defrosting in a sink used for washing ready-to-eat food;
- No disinfection chemicals available to provide suitable cleaning and sanitation of work tools, surfaces and equipment;
- Inability to demonstrate that the relevant criteria for the ready-to-eat products manufactured at the premises had been identified, that appropriate microbiological sampling and testing had been established, or that the shelf-life of the relevant products had been assessed to demonstrate compliance with the food safety criteria throughout their shelf-life;
- Products prepared in a food room which did not permit adequate food hygiene practices and absence of a food safety management system based on HACCP principles.
Commenting today, Mr Greg Dempsey, Chief Executive, FSAI, said:
“It is deeply concerning to see some food businesses continuing to fall short in respect of fundamental food safety requirements, particularly where there is evidence of rodent activity, poor hygiene practices, and inadequate controls to prevent cross-contamination.
“These are serious breaches that pose a risk to consumer health and are entirely preventable.
“With the busy Christmas period fast approaching, we are reminding food businesses to start preparing now so that they have robust food safety procedures in place to deal with increased demands and pressures on their businesses,” added Mr Dempsey.
Separately, the FSAI today provided an update on a Prohibition Order served on 13 August 2026 on Gary Peter, relating to Live5D Health, Riverside Offices, Bridge St, Boyle, Co Roscommon which was appealed to the District Court. T
he Prohibition Order served on Gary Peter was subsequently revoked and the appeal was struck out by the District Court sitting in Carrick-on-Shannon on 23 October 2026.
The FSAI has published the text of three other Prohibition Orders relating to Live5D Health, Riverside Offices, Bridge St, Boyle, Co Roscommon which were also served in August.
Details of the food businesses served with Enforcement Orders are published on the FSAI’s website at www.fsai.ie.
Closure Orders and Improvement Orders will remain listed in the enforcement reports on the website for a period of three months from the date of when a premises is adjudged to have corrected its food safety issue, with Prohibition Orders being listed for a period of one month.