BREAKING: Two Tipperary food businesses shut down over 'rodent infestation in kitchen'

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) issued closure orders on two food businesses in Tipperary in the month of October.

Longfield Academy, a preschool and creche in Cashel, and Welcome Home, a bakery in the heart of Tipperary Town, were issued separate closure orders by the FSAI for a ranges of food safety concerns, including a 'rodent infestation'.

The main kitchen used for reheating food in Longfield Academy, located at Rockview, Deerpark Rd, Cashel, was issued the order under the FSAI Act, 1998.

According to the FSAI, the closure order was issued due to "failure to ensure adequate procedures were in place to control pests".

Evidence of rodent infestations were found in the kitchen area, where droppings were located under the fridge and in several other locations. Holes were also found found in the walls and floors, which the FSAI said "allowed rodent entry".

Welcome Home, found at 2 Kickham Place, Tipperary Town, was served the closure order under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020.

The FSAI issued the closure order for a number of reasons, including a "lack of adequate, regular or thorough cleaning".

The closure report also detailed how rodent faeces were found in the food storage area, and an inspection found "inadequate procedures in place to control pests in the food premises".

On top of this, several items of food equipment had been found in poor condition and were described as not well maintained, including a meat slicer, microwave, grill and oven.

with a total of 16 Enforcement orders handed out nationwide due breaches of food safety legislation.

The Enforcement Orders, issued by Environmental Health Officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE) and officers of the FSAI, were for a range of food safety reasons, including rats, maggots, food debris and more.

In a statement, the FSAI confirmed some of the reasons for the Enforcement Orders in October included "rat infestation, significant build-up of rodent droppings, presence of fruit and drain flies, live maggots on old food residue, extensive rodent droppings" and a range of other health-related breaches of food safety laws.

Other reasons issued were an inaccessible wash hand basin, a complete lack of cleaning, dirty food contact equipment and no evidence of a food safety management system.

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