UCD's Earl's Delicatessen forced to close due to potential health issues

By Lorcan Kelly | Feb 9 2016

Earl's Delicatessen restaurant, which was situated in the School of Architecture in UCD, closed down in January due to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) issuing a closure order.The closure order in question was based upon potential danger towards customers of the restaurant, deeming it "...likely to be a grave and immediate danger to public health." The restaurant breached food safety regulations established in 1998 under the FSAI Act and EC regulations (2010). A prohibition order was also issued to Sheehan's Butchers in Kerry due to similar breaches of regulations. It is reported that twelve crates of unlabelled beef and four crates of out-of-date beef were found in the butcher's walk-in cold room and several unlabelled meats were found in the walk-in freezer. Without official labelling the site was in direct breach of the above regulations and therefore had to be shut down.The HSE also successfully prosecuted two other catering services in January. These were Kelleghan Catering Food Stall in Tallow, Waterford and Millbridge Meats (butcher) in Kilmacrennan, Donegal. Dr. Pamela Byrne of the FSAI said this following the cases. "Food businesses must recognise that the legal onus is on them to make sure that the food they sell or serve is safe to eat. This requires ongoing compliance with food safety and hygiene standards. Food businesses should take full advantage of the information and support provided by the inspectorate and the FSAI."Despite the fact that no actual cases of health problems have arisen due to the restaurant's food, the FSAI still believed that there was a concrete potential threat to the general public's health.