Enforcement order for Oldcastle restaurant

An Oldcastle Restaurant was one of seven premises served with enforcement orders by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) during the month of June for breaches of food safety legislation.

The Chinese Gourmet Restaurant, The Square, Oldcastle, was served a closure order on the use of the outdoor timber shed in the back yard of the restaurant for the storage/ handling of any open food or food contact materials.

According to the FSAI, there were uncovered cardboard boxes containing cooked chicken stored in a timber shed in the back yard of the premises. The door of the shed was open and flies were observed walking on the cooked chicken and mould was evident on the walls and ceiling.

Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, FSAI, emphasised that food businesses have a legal obligation to comply with food safety legislation in the interest of public health.

“Consumers have a right to safe food. Under food law, it is the legal responsibility of food businesses to ensure that the food they sell to the consumer is safe to eat. If anyone experiences unfit food, poor hygiene standards or notices a breach of food law in a food business, we encourage them to contact us via our online complaint form at www.fsai.ie/makeitbetter.

"Reporting inappropriate and unsafe food practices provides us with information that we can act upon. Food safety legislation is put in place to protect the health of consumers and to uphold the standards of the food industry. We strongly encourage food business operators to continuously improve their food safety standards via regular training, availing of online resources, as well as promoting a strong culture of food safety within their businesses.”