Popular Waterford Restaurant/Café hit with closure order after rat droppings sighing

Waterford restaurant/café at Lismore Golf Club has been hit with an FSAI closure order, under the FSAI Act 1998, following an inspection in which the inspector had visual evidence of contamination in the kitchen following visual sighting of rat droppings.

The closure order was served to the restaurant on the 20th of January 2025 and was subsequently lifted by the FSAI on the 30th of January 2025.

The location of the restaurant/café is at Lismore Golf Club (Restaurant/Café), Ballyin Lower, Lismore, Waterford.

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From the FSAI following their inspection of the premises:

"Adequate procedures were not in place to control pests resulting in a grave and immediate danger to public health. When rats gain access to food or food preparation surfaces, they create a serious risk of contamination, which can compromise food safety. This was evidenced by visual sighting of rat droppings in a kitchen cupboard adjacent to a rat trap. It was noted
that there was no bait on the rat trap. The rat trap was surrounded by rat droppings. The rodents having access to food and food preparation surfaces gives rise to a serious risk of contamination of food and equipment.",

A number of order restaurants have also been served with closure orders including:

Balam Limited (Foods of Non-Animal Origin Processing), 114 Boyne Road, Dublin Industrial Estate, Glasnevin, Dublin 11
The Turk Grill (Take Away), 23 Grattan Street, Sligo
Ella’s Heaven Café and Bakery, 95A Talbot Street, Dublin 1
Miner’s Rest Public House (Closed Area: The external drinks storage room), Ballingary, Tipperary

Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, FSAI, reiterated that the legal onus is on food businesses to ensure they fully comply with food safety legislation at all times.
"Food businesses have a fundamental legal responsibility to ensure the food they produce is safe to eat. The Enforcement Orders served in January highlight unacceptable breaches of food safety legislation, including inadequate pest control, poor hygiene standards, and a lack of proper food traceability. These non-compliances pose a serious risk to consumer health and also undermine confidence in the food industry. It is essential that all food businesses implement and maintain a robust food safety management system to prevent such violations. The law is clear, food safety is not optional, and food businesses that fail to comply will face enforcement action."