Some 67 food safety orders were served on food businesses this year, including 37 orders to close the premises for health reasons.This compares with 77 enforcement orders in 2001.
Dr Patrick Wall, chief executive of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, said it was encouraging to see the fall in closure orders but warned that consumer health could not be protected without 100 per cent compliance with food safety standards.
Five premises were ordered to close this month because they were likely to pose a grave and immediate danger to public health. They included China Ming Fast Food in Mountrath, Co Laois, and No 2 Curry House in Mayfield Shopping Centre, Cork.
Unit 4, Asian Market in Bluebell Industrial Estate, Dublin 12, was also ordered to close, as was Castleknock Kitchen in Laurel Lodge Shopping Centre, Dublin 15. In the case of Castleknock Kitchen, the closure order was lifted four days later.
The fifth closure order was served by veterinary inspectors on the abattoir of Messrs Thomas and Jeremiah O'Brien, Kilmolash, Cappoquin, Co Waterford.
Two premises were issued with prohibition orders, which prohibits the sale of a product, either temporarily or permanently.
One order was served on Heaney Meats Catering Company in relation to all black and white pudding found on the premise on December 12th.
Oliver Kavanagh Butchers in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, also received a prohibition order to ensure that food, cooked meats, milk, cheese and soft drinks were not used for human consumption.
Also this month, an improvement order was served on Larkins restaurant, Portroe, Nenagh, Co Tipperary. This is the final step before a closure order.
All food businesses that are served closure orders, improvement orders and prohibition orders are listed on the Food Safety Authority's website at www.fsai.ie for three months from the date when they had been adjudged to have corrected their food safety issues. Fast food takeaways account for half of all cases on the list, with Chinese takeaways in the majority.
