CELEBRITY chef Dylan McGrath was forced to close one of his restaurants for one day last month because of a problem with drains.
Fade Street Social in central Dublin was shut for 24 hours under a closure order issued by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) after issues arose at the entrance on Drury Street.
Billy Creaney, group marketing manager at Prime Steak Ltd which runs the McGrath operations, said the decision to close the restaurant for the night was taken jointly with inspectors from the Health Service Executive (HSE).
"We had a drainage issue. We had a third party company who we thought had taken care of the problem," he said.
"It turned out it had not been done correctly. We jointly decided to close on the day."
Mr Creaney said the kitchens and restaurant floor of Fade Street Social had not been affected by the issue and apologised to customers who were turned away on the day.
The closure order was issued on July 15 and lifted the following day, the FSAI said.
It did not publish the reason for the temporary shut down as it is restricted from doing so by law.
Closure orders can refer to the immediate closure of all or part of the food premises, or all or some of its activities.
But under the FSAI Act 1998 it is only served if "there is or there is likely to be a grave and immediate danger to public health at or in the premises; or where an improvement order is not complied with".
Fade Street Social was one of several premises hit by closure orders last month.
The others included Majas Virtue food stall in the Farmleigh Estate in Dublin's Phoenix Park which has been shut from July 3; Blueberries Pop Up on Lower Cork Street in Mitchelstown, Co Cork which was served with the order on July 30; The Spice House on Church Street in Cavan which was closed for two days from July 13; and the Nite Star take away in Glenties, Co Donegal which was closed for a week from July 13.
Seven orders were issued over regulations on the control of foodstuff.
Chen's Chinese Take Away, Parnell Street, Mountmellick, Co Laois was closed for one day from July 27, the Cashel Take Away Foodstall on Achill Island closed from July 27 and The Jolly Roger on Sherkin Island off Cork had its food business shut from July 19.
Others included the Sandyford House in Dublin which had its kitchen and food service areas shut for three days from July 15, the Azeem Meat and Grocery butchers in Pound Street, Edgeworthstown, Longford was shut for two weeks from July 12, the Lucky Dragon take away on Fassaugh Avenue, Cabra, Dublin was closed for three days from July 6 and Craigs Fresh wholesalers in Drumnabratty, Raphoe, Donegal was closed from July 4.
Elsewhere, Kearney's Restaurant, Main Street, Tallow, Waterford was forced to withdraw baked gammons under a prohibition order.
Chief executive of the FSAI Dr Pamela Byrne said it was "of the utmost importance" that consumers are confident at all times that the food they are purchasing and eating is safe.
"There are simply no excuses for putting consumers' health at risk through sub-standard food hygiene practices.
"The summer months are busy months for food businesses and systems must be put in place to cope with the increase in customers," she said.
"It is essential that all food businesses have the appropriate food safety management systems and procedures in place and that all staff are fully trained to ensure these systems and procedures are adhered to all times."
