Seán Sherlock
Question:664. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will establish a task force involving all meat industry stakeholders to tackle the threat posed by Covid-19. [7636/20]
View answerWednesday, 27 May 2020
Questions (664)
Written answers
The Department of Health and the HSE are the public health authorities leading the national response to the public health pandemic.
A national Outbreak Control Team reporting to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre has been established. The Group’s remit is to oversee and co-ordinate the approach to the prevention and management of Covid- 19 outbreaks in meat plants in Ireland. The group is chaired by the HSE, with a range of participants, including DAFM.
This Group has devised detailed guidance specifically tailored to the meat industry. This guidance document, which was issued to all meat processing facilities on 15 May 2020 covers:
- Infection prevention and control measures to prevent cases and control outbreaks for example screening at entry to the site;
- Steps to be taken when an individual case is suspected or confirmed; and
- Additional steps to be taken when an outbreak has occurred.
My Department will continue to contribute to the National Outbreak Control Team and to provide any support required to the HSE at local and central level, as part of the whole of Government response to the pandemic. To this end, along with its statutory role in relation to food safety, the Department will support the HSE and other agencies in monitoring the effective implementation of the guidance at DAFM-approved meat plants.
In addition to public health aspects, there are likely to be significant economic impacts for the agri-food sector, arising from reduced demand in key markets around the world. My Department and I are working to ensure that business and services to farmers can continue, keeping food and other processing facilities operational, ensuring that payments and commercial activities that are necessary to protect farm incomes can continue.
The response to the economic impacts on the sector should include a strong, shared EU response, using the instruments available in the Common Agricultural Policy. Following Ireland’s efforts in leading an agreed EU-27 statement on the need for further supports, the Commission have introduced Aids to Private Storage for Dairy (SMP, Butter, Cheese), Beef and Sheepmeat.
I am also working with my colleagues in Government to ensure that all businesses, including those in the agri-food sector, get access to suitable supports, and the measures in place are being kept under review. My Department and agencies will continue to monitor the impacts on the agri-food sector as the situation evolves, and to provide appropriate supports to the sector.