15 enforcement orders were served on food businesses across the country last month, including one in Kerry.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) reports these were for breaches of food safety legislation, including discovery of rat dropping and dead insects in food handling and storage areas.
The latest report shows a closure order was issued for a Tarbert restaurant, under the FSAI Act 1998.
A closure order is served where it is deemed that there is /or likely to be a grave and immediate danger to public health at or in the premises; or where an improvement order is not complied with.
Spice Village and Indian Kebab House, Chapel Street, Tarbert, was served a closure order by a HSE Environmental Health Officer on May 30th.
According to the report this has yet to be lifted.
In the report, it was noted rodent droppings were observed in a dry goods store and food packaging store room in the takeaway.
Droppings were also observed adjacent and underneath an unused stand-up fridge in the potato peeling room; while flies were observed throughout the premises on food preparation services.
The inspector noted all cleaning equipment - mops, buckets, brushes and dustpans – were observed to be dirty, and no evidence of handwashing was observed during the inspection.
The report outlines that food – including sweetcorn and pineapple – was kept in tin cans and stored in the fridge.
Overall, it notes the entire premises, including walls, floors, ceilings surfaces, shelving and equipment were very dirty and sticky to the touch.
The report says adequate procedures have to be put in place to control pests and a fully inclusive policy must include the control of flies.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland says the high number of enforcement orders in May is disappointing.
Businesses in Dublin, Roscommon, Carlow, Limerick and Tipperary were also shut down by the FSAI.
In one case an unregistered business was found operating in a shed building, where the other half of the shed was a car workshop.
