A kitchen and staff canteen at the RTÉ Crèche in Donnybrook, Dublin 4, were ordered to shut down in June due to serious food safety breaches.

The Closure Order was issued under the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) Act, 1998, following an inspection by Environmental Health Officers from the Health Service Executive (HSE). The enforcement action was one of ten taken against food businesses across the country last month.

According to the inspection report, a significant number of rodent droppings were found on the floor, behind, and underneath fridges, a freezer, and an oven in the kitchen area. Similar findings were made in the staff canteen, where droppings were discovered on the floor behind and underneath a fridge. Inspectors also noted that adequate procedures were not in place to control pests on the premises.

A lack of cleaning was evident, with rodent droppings not being removed and affected areas left undisinfected. The report stated that there was a grave and immediate danger to food safety due to rodent activity. It warned that rodents can transmit harmful pathogens to foodstuffs, food contact surfaces, equipment, and packaging through their droppings and urine.

The FSAI said Closure Orders are issued only when there is an immediate risk to public health.

FSAI Chief Executive Greg Dempsey stressed the importance of maintaining hygiene standards.

“Food safety isn’t optional, it’s essential,” he said. Failures like poor hygiene, pest activity, and improper storage can have serious consequences. Every food business, regardless of its location or purpose, must comply with the law.”

Closure Orders remain listed on the FSAI’s website for three months after the issues are resolved.

More details can be found at www.fsai.ie.

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