Offaly business served with food safety closure order

A business in Cloneygowan, outside Tullamore, was served with a food safety closure order by the HSE last month, it has emerged.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) said the closure notice was served on Lynn McHugh of Lynn's Pantry, Backwood, Cloneygowan, Tullamore, on June 16 last, due to breaches of food safety legislation.

According to the FSAI's website, the closure order has not yet been lifted as of today (July 13).

The order stated that an officer acting on behalf of the HSE observed an "unsatisfactory level of hygiene" during an inspection at Lynn's Pantry, and that foodstuffs on site "were not being protected from contamination".

It said the inspector observed food preparation areas that were "encrusted with dirt, rubbish and food debris," and that "dead flies and insects" were also seen in food preparation and storage areas.

A closure order was deemed necessary because the "unhygienic" conditions at the time of inspection were "likely to pose a grave and immediate danger" to public health.

The FSAI reported that 12 enforcement orders in total were served on food businesses across the country during the month of June for breaches of food safety legislation.

"While inspectors are available to answer questions and provide guidance, they have a duty to protect public health and will issue Enforcement Orders when businesses contravene the expected food safety standards," said Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive of the FSAI.

"Consumers have a right to safe food and we call on all food businesses to ensure they are fulfilling this requirement on a daily basis."