Shapla issued with FSAI closure order

A POPULAR Carlow restaurant has been issued with a closure order by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) for breaching multiple food safety regulations, with the inspection deeming the standard of cleaning in the premises to be ‘insufficient’ and stating that it must be addressed as a matter of ‘urgency.’ 

Shapla Indian Spice, located at Hanover Court on Kennedy Avenue, was one of seven food businesses to be served a closure order in May by environmental health officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE). The order was served on 15 May before being lifted on 22 May.

In a large list of non-compliances, it was found that food preparation counters throughout the kitchen were ‘dirty and greasy to touch,’ the staff toilet and wash hand basins were dirty, dirty fabric towels were being used and had been left around the preparation counters and a bucket of dirty water was left beside a bucket of peeled onions.

Many of the non-compliances in relation to cleaning had also been identified in previous inspections of the premises.

One food handler, who was observed preparing raw chicken breasts while wearing a pair of disposable gloves, proceeded to wipe the gloves on a dirty fabric towel before he began preparing dough without washing his hands or changing gloves.

During the inspection, no food workers were seen washing their hands between handling ‘raw and ready-to-eat’ foods until it was brought to their attention by health officers.

The report also found breaches of regulations in relation to the equipment used on the premises, such as containers for storing food being dirty and greasy to touch, as well as plastic food chopping boards being so worn that they were not capable of being adequately cleaned or disinfected.

The report states that four official planned inspections have taken place on the premises since it commenced trading in 2024, with the outcome of all these inspections rated as ‘unsatisfactory,’ ‘unsatisfactory significant’ and ‘unsatisfactory serious’.

The report says that, despite the service of an improvement notice in November 2024 and a subsequent closure order in the same month, ‘poor habits and poor food safety practices have continued as evidenced by the above outlined repeat non-compliances.’ ‘‘The types of issues identified in a number of these enforcement orders are concerning and point to clear failures in basic food and safety controls,” said chief executive of FSAI Greg Dempsey.

“Food safety management systems are not optional; they must be properly implemented, maintained and monitored in practice. Where these basic standards are not met, there is a risk to public health and appropriate enforcement action will continue to be taken where necessary,” he added.