Enforcement Orders down 21% in ‘14

A total of 113 Enforcement Orders were served on food businesses for breaches in food safety legislation last year the Food Safety Authority of Ireland has stated.

This represents a decrease of 21% when compared to the 144 Enforcement Orders issued in 2013. Nevertheless, 2014 still remained the second-highest year for Enforcement Orders served on food businesses, noted the FSAI.

Between 1^st January and 31^st December 2014, enforcement officers served 96 Closure Orders, 16 Prohibition Orders and one Improvement Order on food businesses throughout the country.  This compares with 119 Closure Orders, 20 Prohibition Orders and five Improvement Orders in 2013.

During the month of December 2014, the basement area of the Hairy Lemon pub in Dublin numbered among four Closure Orders served on food businesses for breaches in food safety legislation pursuant to the FSAI Act, 1998.

FSAI Chief Executive Professor Alan Reilly stated that while the reduction in Enforcement Orders in 2014 is a welcome development, it’s too early to say whether it is part of a downward trend.