A North Kerry food business was served with a closure order in November for breaches of food safety legislation.
A spokesperson for McHale Party Hire Ltd trading as McHales Catering Base and Stretford End Bar at Drumkeen in Causeway said they had to close for less than a day after the closure order was issued.
A HSE environmental health officer conducted a Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) inspection of the premises on 24th November.
Part of the premises had to be closed, namely the main food kitchen and all the food storage and preparation areas behind it.
The inspector’s report detailed the identified non-compliances including that the floors, walls, and ceilings were covered in dirt, grime, and cobwebs.
The inspector found mould growth on equipment, and a build-up of dirt, debris and miscellaneous items behind and underneath equipment.
The report stated food containers were dirty and that food surfaces were embedded with dirt.
The officer reported that two rodents were found under a stand-up fridge.
Rodent droppings were found throughout during the inspection, in corridors, in the storeroom, on shelving where food contains were stored, and under equipment.
The environmental health officer concluded that the conditions led to a serious risk of food being contaminated with pathogenic bacteria, thereby leading to a serious risk to consumers.
A spokesperson for McHale Party Hire Ltd said that a deep clean was undertaken and an officially registered pest control service was hired.
The kitchen reopened for business the next day.
