Towards Fairer Food Inspections—Your Experience Matters

FYI- You will remain anonymous but your input is invaluable.

Every Irish food business—whether you’re running a bustling café in Kilkenny, a family restaurant in Cork, or producing artisan jams in Galway—shares one common reality: inspection day. The visit from the Environmental Health Officer (EHO) is essential for upholding safety and standards, but for too many, it can feel unpredictable, inconsistent, and sometimes deeply frustrating.

Working so hard on a business that is misunderstood by your EHO

I’ve spent years walking alongside independent food business owners, chefs, and hospitality managers who’ve voiced stories of confusion, mixed messages, and “ad hoc” rules—all depending on which EHO was assigned, where your business is located, or how the laws were read that day. Some found guidance clear and supportive, while others felt at the mercy of individual interpretation—where professionalism and scientific rigor could sometimes give way to emotional bias or subjective judgement.

Fed up of the bias and inconsistencies

Why do these differences matter? Because unclear, inconsistent enforcement doesn’t just create stress; it undermines trust, disrupts business, and stifles innovation across Ireland’s food sector.

If you’ve ever been frustrated by conflicting EHO advice, felt unsure about whether rules were being applied fairly, or noticed stark differences between inspections in your county versus another, your voice is needed. Equally, if you’ve had a positive, constructive experience with an EHO and want those standards adopted everywhere, this is the moment to share.

The struggle and fear of visits from your EHO forces you to lose sleep.

That’s why I’ve developed a detailed survey for Irish food business owners, designed to capture the reality on the ground—what’s working, what’s not, and where misunderstandings arise.

My aim? To build a strong evidence base that drives meaningful reform: standardised training, clearer communication, and inspections grounded in science and fairness—not individual whim.

Your feedback will help shape a better, more consistent future for everyone who feeds Ireland.

Will you take 10 minutes and add your story? Your experience is invaluable.

Click here to begin the survey- https://form.jotform.com/252022559752356

Thank you for supporting a food business sector where clarity, fairness, and community thrive.

Support- let's help to inform positive change for all food business owners on the island of Ireland.