'Live cockroaches, filthy kitchens' - 14 food businesses in Ireland forced to close in November

Fourteen closures were served on food businesses across Ireland during November for reasons such as rodent and cockroaches infestations, dirty kitchen and preparation areas and cigarette butts found in food container.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has reported that Environmental Health Officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE) served the fourteen Closure Orders on food businesses for a number of breaches of food safety legislation, pursuant to the FSAI Act, 1998 and the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020.

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

• McHales Catering Base and Stretford End Bar (Closed areas: Main kitchen and all storage areas behind the kitchen including food storage and food preparation areas) (Restaurant/Café), Drumkeen Causeway, Kerry
• Big Johns (Take Away), Main Street, Upper Mohill, Leitrim
• The Bridge House (Closed area: Storage Room and Back Bar area) (Public House), Corner of Persses-Lot & Main St (N74), Golden, Tipperary
• Umami (Retailer), 76 Main Street, Swords, County Dublin
• United Foods (Wholesaler/ Distributor), 76 Main Street, Swords, County Dublin
• Bodega Cafe @ Inspire (Service Sector), Unit 12M, Ard Gaoithe Business Park, Cashel Road, Clonmel, Tipperary
• The Mekong (Take Away), 307 Swords Road, Santry, Dublin 9
• The Glendalough Hotel, Glendalough, Wicklow

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

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• Trading as Enzos (Take Away), 87 Parnell Street, Dublin 1
• Coffee Shack (Closed area: The room in the building at the rear of the Coffee Shack, Station Road, Castlebar, Co. Mayo being used as a food store) (Take Away), Station Road, Castlebar, Mayo
• Akanchawa Honey Pot (Restaurant/ Café), Unit 39, Coolmine Industrial Estate, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15
• A.M.K Sushi (Take Away), Domestic Kitchen at Moynalty Road, Kells, Meath
• Benny’s Kitchen (Service Sector/ Residential), Domestic Kitchen at Tyrrelstown, Dublin 15
• Cruncheesz (Take Away), Cavan Road, Oldcastle, Meath

Some of the reasons for the Enforcement Orders in November include: rodent infestation in the main food preparation area with rodent droppings throughout the main kitchen area and an old rodent carcass in a bar area; both dead and live cockroaches visible in the staff kitchen; food business not registered with the HSE; kebab slab removed from the rotisserie grill at close of business each night and held at ambient temperatures until the food business reopened the following day; cigarette butts noted in the food preparation area in old food containers; the ponding of a grey sludge-like material from the discharge pipe leading from the potato preparation area which may serve as an attractant for pests; unidentifiable food stored in plastic shopping bags in a chest freezer; floors, walls and ceilings covered in dirt, grime and cobwebs; no labelling on any of the cooked food in the fridge/freezer; staff not demonstrating adequate knowledge of the basic principles of food safety.

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Mr Greg Dempsey, Chief Executive, FSAI, said that November’s Enforcement Orders serve as a reminder that all food businesses must maintain the highest standards of food safety and hygiene at all times and especially during the busy Christmas and new year periods.

“Consumers have a right to safe food, and there is a personal responsibility on owners, managers, and all employees to comply with food safety legal requirements at all times. During the busy festive period, it is especially important that food businesses have proper procedures in place to manage increased demands and pressures.

“All food businesses must comply with their legal requirement to notify the competent authorities prior to operating to ensure there are adequate food safety processes, procedures and facilities in place.”

“Takeaway businesses account for almost a quarter of all businesses served with Enforcement Orders so far in 2025. To support this sector, the FSAI has launched a dedicated section on its website for starting and running a takeaway business.

“The resource includes guidance tailored specifically to takeaway operations, highlights the most frequent compliance issues in Ireland, and provides practical advice on how to prevent and control them,” added Mr Dempsey.

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Separately, during the month of October one prosecution was taken by the Health Service Executive in relation to:

• The Green Ways Café, Main Street, Nobber, Meath

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.