Tipperary pub issued with Closure Order over risk to public safety and 'rodent droppings'
Miner's Rest Public House was issued a partial Closure Order and Prohibition Order for inadequate pest control and risk to public health
A Tipperary pub has been issued with two enforcement orders by the Food Safety Authority for breaches of food safety legislation pursuant to the FSAI Act, 1998 and the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020.
Miner's Rest Public House in Ballingarry, Tipperary was served a partial Closure Order for its external drinks storage room under the FSAI Act 1998 and a Prohibition Order under the FSAI Act 1998.
The Enforcement Orders were issued by Environmental Health Officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE).
Reasons listed for the issuing of the Closure Order included that adequate procedures "were not in place" to control pests and rodent faeces were observed on the floor of the external drinks storage room in close proximity to opened boxes of bottled alcoholic drinks which were not protected against contamination, contrary to the above legislation.
Rodents are known to spread pathogens on their feet via urine and faeces.
Additionally, the report said: "The construction of the external drinks storage room does not permit pest control due to inadequate pest-proofing at the unfinished area of the wall to the left hand side of the door leading from the main premises into the storage room, at the pipework in the unfinished area of the wall, and at the unfinished area of the ceiling."
The order was lifted on January 17.
A Prohibition Order was also served on the Miner's Rest on the sale of two opened boxes of alcoholic drinks as a result of the inspection.
The inspector directed the "occupier" of the premises trading as Miner's Rest Public House at Ballingarry, county Tipperary, ensure that it "is not used for human consumption; and is destroyed".