Health and Safety Inspections

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 December 2020

Tuesday, 8 December 2020

Questions (36)

Martin Browne

Question:

36. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on the findings of a centre (details supplied) and HSA reports into meat factories across the country; his views on the findings of those reports in terms of Covid-19 and non-Covid-19 standard breaches; the date his attention was drawn to the contents of those reports; the measures that have been taken by his Department regarding these findings; his views on not publishing these reports at the time; his views on the overall operations of these facilities in view of these reports; the measures that have been taken to address those shortcomings; his views on the working conditions of staff at these facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41517/20]

Oral answers (7 contributions)

Deputy Martin Browne

Can I get the Minister's views on the concerning findings in the HSA reports into meat factories across the country that were obtained by the Right To Know group? Could he tell us the date on which his attention was drawn to the contents of those reports, the measures that have been taken by his Department regarding these findings, why these reports were not published at the time and his views on the overall operations of these facilities in light of these reports?

Deputy Charlie McConalogue

The HSA comes under the remit of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and any specific questions about its reports are a matter for that Department. Statutory responsibility for health and safety in the workplace rests with the HSA. In the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, primary responsibility for public health policy and implementation rests with the Department of Health and the HSE.

My Department's statutory responsibility is to ensure that food business operators within these premises operate in compliance with the EU's food hygiene legislation, animal and plant health, and animal welfare standards. However, in the current circumstances, in addition to this statutory role, the Department is continuing to provide any support required to the HSE and the HSA at local and national level in monitoring the effective implementation of all relevant guidance in Department-approved food plants. As at 27 November, the Department had completed 575 inspections on behalf of the HSA, including unannounced inspections, in Department-approved food premises, and these inspections are ongoing. To be clear, this is in addition to the inspections carried out by the HSA itself, and in addition to the 49 premises where the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has a permanent presence.

In ongoing engagement with the meat industry since the start of the pandemic, my officials have emphasised that the health and safety of workers must be the absolute priority. In September 2020 Meat Industry Ireland and SIPTU agreed a code of practice for the safe management of staff in the primary meat processing sector during the pandemic. I welcome such initiatives as very positive steps in ensuring a safer working environment for employees in the meat slaughter and processing sector. If employees or their representatives have any specific concerns about employment conditions they should contact the relevant statutory agencies, that is, the HSA, the Workplace Relations Commission or the Department of Social Protection, as appropriate.

Deputy Martin Browne

It was concerning to read these accounts in the media at the end of last month. They referred to a number of inspections by the HSA on meat factories that had not been released to the public at the time. The reports were damning - face-coverings not being used, the potential for cross-contamination, the minimal level of acceptable personal protective equipment, PPE, being in place, staff working at close quarters, and inadequate health and safety signage being in place. These concerns were all voiced by us at a time when cases started emerging in meat factories. Can the Minister indicate whether the inspections in question took place in the early days of the Covid crisis, at the height of the crisis or later? Given the poor working conditions does it mean that the Department and the HSA did not act early enough to ensure that the protective measures had been put in place? How were these conditions allowed to emerge at these facilities? Can the Minister tell the public how a decision was made not to release them and why was the Right To Know group offered the redacted versions of the reports and not the full versions?

Deputy Charlie McConalogue

I thank the Deputy. As I pointed out, I do not have the details here that the HSA would have because the authority comes under another Department's remit. I outlined the assessments and the checks that my Department has carried out on the authority's behalf to supplement that work. At all times we have been clear about the absolute importance of safety across all working environments, particularly those in the meat industry. Activity in this industry was designated as essential during Covid. It has continued throughout the period and the risk has been more significant as a result. We have always highlighted the absolute importance of ensuring that possible precaution is taken and that this is done consistently. Certainly, I have ensured, as have other Government colleagues, that this message has been put out there consistently. In terms of the sector, those involved are very much aware of that too because, ultimately, the health and welfare of employees is more important to them than it is to anyone else. It is essential that that is at the centre of everything we do.

Deputy Martin Browne

I appreciate that most of the factories are doing everything above board and correctly because I have spoken to many of them. We ourselves found out that they had stopped testing in some places. The report also reveals serious health and safety problems that were not Covid related. They contained repeated concerns about bandsaws without emergency stop buttons, open effluent treatment tanks with no edge protection and, in one case, asbestos roofing being visible throughout the site. These are health and safety issues that pose serious risks to the employees regardless of Covid-19. How were these issues allowed to go on? Are these factories not being inspected enough or was it a case of looking the other way because those who own them are friends or buddies of the Government? If the factories were not inspected for compliance with Covid-19 guidelines, would we not even know about these breaches of health and safety that are putting employees' welfare at risk? Finally, if Sinn Féin's request to make Covid-19 an identifiable workplace illness was adopted in the early days of the outbreak, would these issues have been spotted earlier?

Deputy Matt Carthy

I thank the Acting Chairman, Deputy Farrell, for the latitude he has extended to us and commend Deputy Martin Browne on tabling this question.

The Minister will know my views. The fact that responses to requests for freedom of information are being so heavily redacted sends out all the wrong signals. These are matters that should not embarrass anybody. Certainly, the factories should be eager that these reports are published to give the public the knowledge.

My question follows on from Deputy Browne's. At present, there are some intensive activities taking place, for example, in turkey factories. Turkey factories play an important role in many local economies, including my own, but they also at this time of year incorporate many new staff, many of whom work part-time or in some instances include large numbers of migrant labour.

Is the Department paying any particular attention to those factories at this time of year? In my view, what happened in the meat plants during the summer played a much larger part than has been attributed to them in bringing about a second wave of infections. We do not want to see a third wave as a result of a lack of scrutiny in this area.

Deputy Charlie McConalogue

I thank the Deputies for their questions. The health, welfare and safety of workers must be absolutely central to everything we do, particularly in environments where essential work is continuing. That is the clear message we are putting out to all sectors, particularly the meat processing sector. My Department has worked to assist the HSA in this regard, including in the carrying out of more than 500 inspections, alongside the ongoing work we do in this area.

On Deputy Carthy's point regarding turkey farm operations, my Department has an engagement in terms of veterinary oversight but the HSA is the authority with responsibility for liaising in those situations. Regardless of the setting, the advice has been very clear to everyone. Ultimately, the onus is on employers and operators to ensure the health and safety of their staff is central to all that they do. There is also a strong onus on staff to ensure they work with their employer and call out any issues that arise. If there are any instances where people's safety is not being properly catered for, they must be brought to the attention of the HSA, which will move immediately to ensure the correct conditions are put in place and to hold to account anyone who is not following the guidelines.