Ireland: food inspections

In Ireland the app follows EU Regulation 852/2004 as set out in S.I. 369/2006, FSAI guidance and the FSAI Safe Catering Pack, and HSE Environmental Health Officers inspect.

Inspection body

Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI); restaurants and takeaways are inspected by the HSE National Environmental Health Service

The HSE National Environmental Health Service inspects restaurants, takeaways and similar premises. Its Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) work under service contracts with the FSAI, which is legally responsible for enforcing food law.

Inspections are usually not announced. An EHO can come at any reasonable time when you are open, look round, ask questions and check your records. An EHO can serve an Improvement Notice. The District Court can make an Improvement Order, and a Closure Order is for a grave and immediate danger to public health or non-compliance. A Prohibition Order stops the sale of a product or batch. A fixed payment notice of €250 applies to some offences, such as failing to register.

Hygiene rating

There is no public hygiene rating or sticker for restaurants. The FSAI publishes closure, improvement and prohibition orders, and its monthly press releases name the businesses.