DUBLIN/NATIONWIDE — The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) delivered a sharp reminder of the need for rigorous food safety standards by issuing eleven Closure Orders across the country in October. Among the businesses shut down was a catering facility, The Lunch Bag, which prepares hot school meals for children, where alarming evidence of a rat infestation was discovered.
Inspectors at The Lunch Bag’s kitchen at Clontarf Educate Together National School, Dublin 5, found rat droppings and confirmed that a rat had been sighted by food handling staff earlier that month. The inspection report noted that the rodents “are likely to have had contact with food, food packaging and utensils for childrens’ meals,” posing a grave and immediate danger to public health. The closure order for this facility remains in place.
FSAI Chief Executive, Greg Dempsey, stressed that issues like inadequate pest control, poor cleaning, and unsafe food storage are “entirely preventable.” With the busy Christmas season approaching, he urged all food businesses to immediately implement robust food safety management systems to handle increased demand safely and responsibly.
