A Dublin city centre restaurant was ordered to close last month after inspectors found what the Food Safety Authority of Ireland described as a "significant cockroach infestation" throughout its kitchen.
Diwali, an Indian and Nepalese restaurant on South Great George's Street in Dublin 2, was served with a closure order on July 27 following an inspection by the FSAI.
According to the inspection report, cockroaches were found throughout the food preparation areas of the kitchen.
The inspector said the insects were present at all stages of their life cycle and appeared to be actively breeding on the premises.
Multiple dead cockroaches were also discovered in several kitchen food preparation areas.
The report concluded that the conditions posed a serious food safety concern and the restaurant was ordered to close until the issues were addressed.
The closure order was lifted on August 7 after sanitation and pest control measures were put in place.
Diwali Indian and Nepalese Cuisine. Photo credit: Paolo M, Tripadvisor
The Dublin restaurant was one of 11 food businesses across Ireland served with closure orders by the FSAI during July for breaches of food safety legislation.
A further two businesses were issued with prohibition orders during the month.
Among the other cases highlighted by the authority was The Village Shop and Takeaway in Mountbolus, Co Offaly, where inspectors found a manhole in a staff toilet overflowing with human waste.
According to the FSAI report, the waste had flowed into an adjacent room where food-contact equipment was being stored close to the food preparation area.
The inspector said the situation created a direct opportunity for food to become contaminated with harmful bacteria and posed a grave and immediate risk to public health.
Babylon Restaurant Clonmel. Photo credit: Facebook
Elsewhere, Babylon Restaurant in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, was ordered to close after a dead rodent was found behind equipment near food products.
Rodent droppings were also discovered beneath a disused dishwasher.
That closure order was lifted on July 31 after the necessary corrective action was taken.
Other premises served with closure orders during July included a mobile food unit in Damastown Park in Dublin 15, a restaurant in Wicklow, and a health food stall operating at Salthill and Monkstown DART station in Co Dublin.
All of those closure orders have since been lifted.
FSAI chief executive Greg Dempsey said the issues identified during the inspections were deeply concerning and showed serious failures in basic food safety controls.
"We continue to see cases where essential requirements, including effective cleaning, pest control, safe food handling practices, staff training and food safety management systems are not being properly implemented," he said.
"These are not optional measures; they are legal requirements that every food business must have in place to protect consumers."
The FSAI publishes details of closure and prohibition orders each month as part of its enforcement of food safety legislation across Ireland.
