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Dublin Live
10-07-2025
- Health
- Dublin Live
RTE creche kitchen shut by FSAI after rodent droppings found
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info The staff canteen and kitchen in the RTE creche was issued a closure order by FSAI officers last month due to rodent activity causing a "grave and immediate danger to food safety". The closure order was served on the Wee Care premises at the RTE campus in Donnybrook on June 16th and was lifted on June 18th. The FSAI report found that a "significant number of rodent droppings" were evident at various locations in the kitchen and the staff canteen. Inspectors also stated that a "grave and immediate danger to food safety exists in the food premises due to rodent activity". The report said that "adequate procedures were not in place to control pests" on the premises. Closure orders under the FSAI Act were also issued for All Bar Chicken in Coolock in Dublin, Il Vicolo restaurant at Bridge Mills in Galway and Doolin Ice Cream's food store in Clare. Mr Greg Dempsey, Chief Executive, FSAI, said: 'Every food business has a legal responsibility to ensure the food they produce is safe to eat. Failures like poor hygiene, pest activity, and improper storage are basic errors that can have severe consequences to public health. "Food safety isn't optional, it's essential. While we understand the daily pressures on businesses, food safety and hygiene standards must be maintained at all times. A robust food safety management system not only protects public health, but it also supports the long-term success of the food business. "Non-compliance with food law is not tolerated and enforcement action will be taken where standards fall short." Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
Extra.ie
10-07-2025
- Health
- Extra.ie
Crèche and canteen shut at RTÉ as rodent droppings found
RTÉ's crèche was ordered to close its kitchen and canteen due to a 'significant number of rodent droppings'. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) reported yesterday that eight closure orders were issued last month. Among these was Wee Care Limited at Donnybrook, a facility provided by RTÉ that cares for children of staff working at the broadcaster. An inspection by the FSAI on June 25 found the kitchen on the premises had failed to comply with the provisions of EC Regulation on the Hygiene of Foodstuffs. Pic: Shutterstock Following this, the crèche was ordered by the FSAI to close its kitchen and the canteen used by staff on the premises due to what the inspector called 'a grave and immediate danger to food safety due to rodent activity'. The inspection found that droppings were present on the floor behind and under two fridges, a freezer and an oven. It also discovered more droppings behind and underneath a fridge in a canteen area. The inspector wrote that 'a lack of cleaning is evident in the premises', saying: 'Rodent droppings have not been cleaned up and the affected areas have not been disinfected.' The inspection further found that 'adequate procedures are not in place to control pests in the premises'. The national broadcaster has spent €5,400 on pest checks and inspections over the past 12 months in its sprawling Dublin 4 complex. Pic: Fran Veale The closure order was lifted two days later after pest control was contacted to address the problems found in the initial inspection. A staff member at RTÉ told 'It shouldn't be too much to ask for our kids to be protected from rat droppings. It should be the bare minimum.' They went on to say the broadcaster needs to take responsibility, saying they 'should be doing more to reassure us as parents instead of washing their hands of it and point the finger at the contractors who run it'. The inspector who visited the crèche warned that 'rodents can transmit harmful pathogens to foodstuffs, food contact surfaces, equipment and packaging through droppings and urine'. The closure comes during an ongoing battle against rodents at RTÉ headquarters. Pic: Getty Images It was reported in early June that RTÉ had spent €5,400 on checks and inspections over the past year to ensure the campus was vermin-free. Last December, it came to light that after the sighting of a mouse at the Wee Care crèche, extermination services had been called to deal with the issue. This process proved unsuccessful after it was reported in February that mouse droppings had been found in the kitchen of the crèche. That same day, a dead mouse was removed from the second floor of the main RTÉ building. This was followed by reports of rats and mice sighted in the main canteen, the wardrobe department and on the set of Fair City. Two Radar mouse traps were bought as a precaution, and RTÉ later said that it had an ongoing contract for areas where rodent activity was suspected. FSAI chief Greg Dempsey said: 'Food safety isn't optional, it's essential. Non-compliance with food law is not tolerated.' Closure orders were issued to Doolin Ice Cream in Co. Clare, All Bar Chicken in Coolock, Co. Dublin, and Il Vicolo in Galway.
Irish Independent
09-07-2025
- Health
- Irish Independent
Award-winning Galway restaurant hit with closure notice after discovery of rodent droppings
Il Vicolo of Bridge Mills O'Briens Bridge, Galway city was ordered to close on June 4 by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI). The decision came after inspectors found rodent droppings within the food business. They concluded that the rodent droppings resulted in a grave and immediate danger for the public. The notice was lifted after two days of closure on June 6. Il Vicolo won 'Best Italian Establishment' at the 2024 edition of Food Awards Ireland and in 2022 was crowned Best Italian restaurant in Ireland at the the National Restaurant Awards. A total of eight food businesses were served closure orders in June for breaches of food safety legislation, pursuant to the FSAI Act, 1998 and the EU's Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation Regulations, 2020. The enforcement orders were issued by environmental health officers in the HSE. FSAI Chief Executive Greg Dempsey, Chief Executive said every food business has a legal responsibility to ensure the food they produce is safe to eat. 'Failures like poor hygiene, pest activity, and improper storage are basic errors that can have severe consequences to public health. Food safety isn't optional, it's essential. While we understand the daily pressures on businesses, food safety and hygiene standards must be maintained at all times,' he said. 'A robust food safety management system not only protects public health, but it also supports the long-term success of the food business. Non-compliance with food law is not tolerated and enforcement action will be taken where standards fall short.' Under the FSAI Act, 1998, a Closure Order is served where it is deemed that there is or there is 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. Closure Orders can refer to the immediate closure of all or part of the food premises, or all or some of its activities.
Irish Times
09-07-2025
- Health
- Irish Times
RTÉ creche's kitchen and staff canteen had to close temporarily after food safety inspection
The kitchen and staff canteen of a creche on RTÉ's Donnybrook campus in Dublin was served with a closure order in June after a Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) inspector discovered a 'significant' number of rodent droppings. The FSAI said the droppings at the Wee Care creche posed 'grave and immediate danger' to food safety. These were 'evident on the floor behind and underneath two fridges, one freezer and an oven', the inspector's report said. 'Adequate procedures were not in place to control pests,' it said. The order was lifted on June 18. READ MORE Wee Care was among 10 food businesses served with FSAI enforcement orders in June. Closure orders issued under the FSAI Act were also served on Il Vicolo restaurant at Bridge Mills in Galway, All Bar Chicken in Coolock in Dublin, and Doolin Ice Cream's food store in Co Clare, with rodent droppings among the reasons detailed for each premises. The orders have since been lifted. FSAI chief executive Greg Dempsey said failures such as pest activity, poor hygiene and improper storage were 'basic errors' that could have severe consequences to public health. 'Food safety isn't optional, it's essential,' he said. 'While we understand the daily pressures on businesses, food safety and hygiene standards must be maintained at all times. 'A robust food safety management system not only protects public health, but it also supports the long-term success of the food business. 'Noncompliance with food law is not tolerated and enforcement action will be taken where standards fall short.' FSAI reports noted 'pooling water from defrosting fish mixed with blood and raw meat on the floor of a walk-in chiller' at the Tunisian Halal Butcher in Finglas, Dublin, which was issued with a closure order. It was lifted on July 1. Fresh Today in Trim, Co Meath, received a partial closure order over its decanting and repackaging of part-baked frozen bread and confectionery products posed hygiene and contamination risks. Frenchpark Service Station in Co Roscommon was issued a partial closure order after an inspector found its food store room did 'not permit good food hygiene practices, including protection against contamination and pest control'.
Irish Independent
09-07-2025
- Health
- Irish Independent
Closure of creche on RTÉ campus for ‘significant number of rodent droppings' among 10 FSAI orders in June
Wee Care, based in Montrose House on the Dublin 4 premises, was hit with a partial closure order after a 'significant number of rodent droppings' were found. The report served to the creche by the FSAI said a 'grave and immediate danger to food safety' was posed due to rodent activity. The partial order only applied to the kitchen and staff canteen areas of the creche. Droppings were found on the floor 'behind and underneath two fridges, one freezer and an oven', according to the order served by the FSAI. They were also found 'on the floor behind and underneath a fridge in the staff canteen'. Wee Care Limited was served the order on June 16 and the order was lifted two days later on June 18. Doolin Ice Cream based on Fisher Street in Doolin, Co Clare was handed a partial closure order for its food store after a 'significant number of rodent droppings' were found, including in 'a box containing lids for smoothie cups'. The order read: 'The plastic wrapping covering the lids was damaged due to gnawing by rodents and droppings were noted within the plastic wrapping on the lids. The order was served on June 25 and lifted on June 30. A closure order, lifted on June 6, for the presence of rodent droppings was also served to Il Vicolo, an Italian restaurant based in the Bridge Mills in Galway city. All Bar Chicken, a restaurant based on the Malahide Road in Dublin's Coolock, was served a full closure order on June 10 for 'heavy' rodent activity, 'as evidenced by the presence of fresh mouse droppings in multiple areas of the kitchen'. ADVERTISEMENT Closure orders, which have since been lifted, were also served to Tunisian Halal Butcher at Unit 8 in the Aldi Centre based on St Margarets Road in Finglas, Dublin 11, and the Zone Activity Centre at Mullaghboy Industrial Estate in Navan, Co Meath. Prohibition orders were served on 'pre-packaged bacon and cabbage dinner' products sold by Ballymaguire Foods in Rathmooney, Lusk, Co Dublin, and a number of products sold by Elite Events and Caterers Food Stall at Kerala House Carnival, Fairyhouse, Ratoath Co Meath. 'Every food business has a legal responsibility to ensure the food they produce is safe to eat,' FSAI chief executive Greg Dempsey said. 'Failures like poor hygiene, pest activity, and improper storage are basic errors that can have severe consequences to public health. 'Food safety isn't optional, it's essential. While we understand the daily pressures on businesses, food safety and hygiene standards must be maintained at all times. 'A robust food safety management system not only protects public health, but it also supports the long-term success of the food business. 'Non-compliance with food law is not tolerated and enforcement action will be taken where standards fall short.'
