A café in Monkstown, south Dublin was closed last month after mouse droppings were found in a number cupboards and a food storage room.

Greenville Deli on Monkstown Avenue was served with a closure order after a HSE inspector found "extensive mouse droppings throughout the premises" and noted inadequate pest control and cleaning/disinfection procedures.

The inspector said the business held a grave and immediate danger to food safety due to the level of rodent activity, but the café reopened two days after the order was issued on 15 April.

Greenville Deli was one of eight food businesses served with closure orders during the month for issues such as lack of food safety knowledge, no hot water, visibly dirty cooking equipment, and an outdoor sink positioned over an open drainage gully.

Two businesses that were forced to close in April remain closed: takeaway Tasty in Charleville, Co. Limerick, and Namaste Indian Cuisine in Smithfield, Dublin 7.

Tasty was closed after an inspector discovered that a concrete alley was being used to clean food equipment, and the sink unit over the gulley, which was described as an "area subject to foul sewer water contamination."

Namaste was closed for "serious inappropriate personal hygiene practices" on premises, with faecal matter found smeared on the wall of a staff toilet, among wider food safety and pest control failures.

“Food businesses owe it to their customers that the food they are selling is safe to eat. Not only is it the right thing to do, it’s also a legal requirement under food law," said Greg Dempsey, CEO of Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI).

"Consumers have a right to trust that the food they buy is safe to eat and that it complies with all relevant food safety legislation.

"The findings that led to these Enforcement Orders highlight an unacceptable disregard for basic food safety and hygiene practices.

"These are preventable issues, and there are simply no excuses for failing to comply with the law.

"Food businesses must remain vigilant, ensuring regular checks, effective pest control, and thoroughly cleaned, well-maintained premises to protect their customers’ health and uphold consumer trust in the food chain.”

Photo: Greenville Deli on Monkstown Avenue. (Pic: Google Maps)