The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) today (January 13) said that 127 enforcement orders were served on food businesses for breaches of food safety legislation in 2025, a decrease of 4.5% on the 132 that were served in 2024.

Between January 1 and December 31 2025, 102 closure orders, 23 prohibition orders, and two improvement orders were issued by environmental health officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE), sea-fisheries protection officers in the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority, and by officers of the FSAI on food businesses throughout the country.

Commenting on the annual figures, Greg Dempsey, chief executive of FSAI, said: “While the total number of Enforcement Orders in 2025 decreased slightly compared to 2024, it is disappointing that we continue to see enforcement action being necessary due to fundamental breaches, such as pest infestations, poor hygiene, unsafe storage of food, inadequate staff training and the absence of food safety management systems.

“Additionally, we have found instances of unregistered food businesses operating illegally without notifying the competent authority, therefore bypassing essential food safety controls and putting consumers health at risk.”

Food closure orders in December

The FSAI also reported that eight closure orders and one prohibition order was served on food businesses during the month of December 2025 for breaches of food safety legislation.

According to the FSAI, some of the reasons for issuing closure orders in December include defective drainage and sewage systems, with foul water leaking and backing up from sanitary facilities and contaminating kitchen floors and food preparation surfaces where ready-to-eat foods were handled.

It also cited an active mouse infestation, with droppings evident throughout food storage and preparation areas.

An enforcement order was served when a premises used an unrefrigerated vehicle for transporting meat with no controls in place to maintain the cold food chain.

The FSAI also cited failure to notify the authorities of the establishment of a food business as a reason behind some closure orders.

The enforcement orders were issued by environmental health officers in the HSE and officers of the FSAI.

One closure order was served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:

Crosfield (Wholesaler/ Distributor), Unit 4 Bymac Centre, Northwest Business Park, Ballycoolin, Dublin 15.

Seven closure orders were served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on:

Taha Butchers (Closed area: the food and food equipment storage facility at the rear of the premises), 13 Railway Street, Navan, Meath;
Ruby's Cakes (Manufacturer), Durhamstown Castle, Bohermeen, Navan, Meath;
EB Food Essentials, Unregistered establishment trading at Coolanagh, Ballickmoyler, Laois;
Quack N Wok (Takeaway), Unit 3A, Gandon House, Custom House Square IFSC, Mayor Street Lower, Dublin 1;
Sasaki Sushi (Service Sector), 3 Stoneybatter, Dublin 7;
Centra (Closed area: Deli area), Main Street, Killenaule, Tipperary;
An unregistered premises trading as Selera Space, at an apartment at Sandyford Central, Sandyford Business Park, Dublin 18.

One prohibition order was served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on:

Dublin Herbalists (Food Supplements), Carrick Street, Mullinahone, Tipperary.

Commenting on the December 2025 figures, Dempsey said: “Two of the seven closure orders in December were for businesses where they had failed to notify the competent authority of the establishment of a food business.

“All food business owners, big or small, whether trading from a business premises, in the home, from a mobile unit, food truck and/or online, must be aware of food hygiene and food safety legislation.”

He also said that maintaining high food safety standards “protects consumers and supports the long-term success of businesses, and enforcement action is taken where necessary to ensure compliance”.

Closure orders and improvement orders will remain listed in the enforcement reports on the FSAI website for a period of three months from the date of when a premises is adjudged to have corrected its food safety issue, with prohibition orders being listed for a period of one month.