Rodent droppings led to closure of Kerry restaurant

The closure order was served on Uptown Restaurant on Old Milk Market Lane, Killarney on April 18 and has not been lifted.

The order served was for the entire premises to be closed “because there is or is likely to be a grave and immediate danger to public health.”

The reason for the closure was evidence of rodent droppings in the ground floor kitchen and wash up area of the restaurant.

The Kerry restaurant is one of 21 closure orders served on food business in the latest report by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI).

The FSAI report for the month of April outlines breaches of food safety legislation, pursuant to the FSAI Act, 1998 and the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020.

The Closure Orders were issued by Environmental Health Officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE)

The latest report also outlines any prosecutions during the month of April with one prosecution was taken by the HSE and there was on in Kerry in relation to Kenmare Brewhouse Ltd, The Square, Kenmare.

FSAI Chief Executive, Dr Pamela Byrne said the figures for April are the highest in years.

“Twenty one Closure Orders served in one month is the highest number since November 2019, when the same number were also issued. Amongst the reasons for the Closure Orders in April, a lack of adequate procedures to control pests was frequently cited,” she said.

"This resulted in evidence of widespread mice and cockroach activity, which leads to a serious risk of food being contaminated and poses a grave and immediate danger to public health. Food businesses must ensure that their food business is properly pest proofed, and that they take effective action if there is a pest infestation.”

“There are no excuses. Food safety is a legal requirement for all food businesses,” Dr Byrne said.