Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 February 2021
931. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to cases of Covid-19 in meat processing plants in County Cork between 1 December 2020 and 26 January 2021, inclusive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5237/21]
View answer932. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of recorded cases of Covid-19 in a meat plant (details supplied) in County Cork for the period 1 December 2020 to 26 January 2021, inclusive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5238/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 931 and 932 together.
COVID 19 continues to challenge us as a society, with outbreaks in the community and in work places. The Department of Health and the HSE are the competent authorities in matters relating to public health. My Department does not comment on outbreaks within specific meat production facilities.
My Department continues to contribute to the HSE-chaired National Outbreak Control Team as part of the whole-of-Government response to the pandemic and is supporting the HSE in the context of local outbreak teams, overseeing a programme of serial testing of workers at larger food plants and other businesses. As of week ending 22nd January 2021, over 97,494 swabs have been taken with 804 detected cases since this process commenced last autumn. The Department continues to provide any assistance requested by the HSE to facilitate this testing programme. In addition, staff from my Department, in collaboration with HSE, are researching the potential use of rapid antigen testing in food processing sector as an additional risk mitigation measure in such environments.
Furthermore, as of 21st January, officials from my Department had completed 645 inspections on behalf of the HSA, including unannounced inspections, in DAFM-approved food premises, and these inspections are ongoing.
