'Live rats and droppings on premises' - Five food businesses ordered to close last month

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) reported on Tuesday that Environmental Health Officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE) served five Closure Orders and five Prohibition Orders on food businesses during the month of September 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.

Three Closure Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:

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• SuperValu Hollyhill (Retailer), Hollyhill Shopping Centre, Hollyhill, Cork (served 04/09/2025)
• Wok In Noodle Bar (Restaurant/ Café), 48-50 Stephen Street Lower, Dublin 2
• SuperValu Hollyhill (Retailer), Hollyhill Shopping Centre, Hollyhill, Cork (served 29/09/2025)

Two Closure Orders were served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on:

• New Leaf (Closed activities: the preparation and sale of sushi and sashimi) (Take Away), 18 New Street, Skerries, Dublin
• The MOMO House (ceased trading on 10/10/2025) (Take Away), East Ocean, 61 Port Road, Letterkenny, Donegal

Two Prohibition Orders were served under the FSAI Act 1998 on:

• Food Business trading as Vitalorganico and website vitalorganico.ie operating at the domestic dwelling house (Wholesaler/ Distributor), Castleknock, Co. Dublin
• Duud (Retailer), Pinewood House, Huntstown Road, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15

Three Prohibition Orders were served under European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on:

• Nearby Cashel (Retailer), 3 Main Street, Cashel, Tipperary
• XL Convenience Store (Retailer), Main Street, Drumconrath, Navan, Meath
• BK Foods Limited (Wholesaler/ Distributor), Clongorey, Newbridge, Kildare

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Some of the reasons for the Enforcement Orders in September include:

Evidence of pest activity; a live rat observed on a premises and rat droppings visible on floors and shelving throughout areas where food and food packaging were stored; holes and gaps in the cavity wall behind a shelf on a shop floor; no hot water, soap or hygienic drying materials available at wash hand basins in the kitchen or staff toilets; ceilings, walls and floors of food preparation and cooking areas not clean, with significant accumulations of grease, dirt and old food residues; no evidence of controls in place to manage the risks associated with the storage, preparation and sale of food products containing raw fish; chilled and frozen foods stored at potentially unsafe temperatures; no evidence of adequate staff training in necessary food safety controls; food products offered for sale past their sell-by date.

Mr Greg Dempsey, Chief Executive, FSAI, said,

“It’s concerning that we continue to see serious and recurring breaches of food safety law. These types of breaches are preventable where food businesses have a proper robust food safety management system in place and ensure staff are adequately trained.

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“The FSAI has numerous free resources and a learning portal to help support food businesses. Our new Guidance Note on Food Safety Culture, published recently, provides practical advice to help food businesses develop a food safety culture within their business, comply with their legal obligations and prevent these kinds of non-compliance issues from arising.”

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.