Meat Processing Plants

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 May 2020

Wednesday, 27 May 2020

Questions (679)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

679. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the new measures which will be introduced to reduce the transmission of Covid-19 in meat factories; if the relevant authorities discussed with processors the deep cleaning of plants in which high transmission cases have been identified; if it is envisaged to introduce a testing regime which isolates suspected cases at plants and the provision of an adequate place to self-isolate if the option to do so is not available in the household of the person; and the agreed next steps to reduce transmission rates at these plants while maintaining the food supply chain. [7833/20]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

In order to address issues in meat plants, Food Business Operators have put in place a range of protective practices and equipment to protect employee safety and these include measures such as the reduction of throughput rates at the plant, temperature checks on entry into the plant, the extension of operating hours and other safeguards such as “podding”, the provision of additional PPE, the use of perspex screens and the provision of additional facilities to support physical distancing measures.

A National Outbreak Control Team has been established by the HSE to deal with all issues relating to Covid 19 in meat plants and my Department is represented on this committee. All matters in relation to transmission of Covid 19, together with the appropriate isolation and sanitising measures will be addressed by the team.