The cork meat plant remained open despite having 226 cases of Covid, Dáil hears

A meat plant in Cork had 226 positive Covid cases but never shut down, creating a significant health risk, the Dáil has heard.

Sinn Féin deputy editor Pearse Doherty raised the issue in Leaders’ Questions and asked what influence the “meat magnates” had over the state.

In response, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said that there has been no message from the government telling meat plants to stay open against public health advice.

Varadkar said that any decision to close a plant is made only by public health officials or the Health and Safety Authority (HSA).

What control do the meat barons have over Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil? @PearseDoherty pic.twitter.com/hT9b82sKor

– Sinn Féin (@sinnfeinireland) September 17, 2020

Doherty said so-called “meat tycoons” were gambling with people’s lives for the sake of profit.

The Sinn Féin deputy said tests at the plants were suspended last week when capacity reached 72,000 and not the 100,000 target.

He said the meat plants have been the site of at least 44 groups across the state and at least 1,600 Covid-19 cases.

They were the main reasons for localized blockades in Kildare, Laois and Offaly, Doherty added.

Citing a response from the Freedom of Information Act to the Irish Farmers’ Journal, Doherty said 226 cases were associated with a plant in July.

“We understand that the plant is in Cork and that it was never closed. However, last week, the tests in meat plants were suspended, ”he said.

“Yesterday we learned of another outbreak at a meat plant in Waterford and this is causing great concern. At least 28 cases are associated with this group, more tests are pending, and hopefully the HSE infection control team is on the ground, ”added Mr. Doherty.

He said local media in Waterford reported that earlier this week workers at the plant were being bussed to work on a full 50-seater bus.

“All the seats were full, there was only room to stand and people were standing in the aisles. At that time, there were already confirmed cases at that plant, “Doherty said.

That is shocking. Meat tycoons are gambling with people’s lives for the sake of profit, plain and simple, and they are getting away with it.

This should be contrasted with the way they are treating pubs, he added.

Mr. Doherty said: “Outbreaks in meat plants have accounted for one third of all workplace clusters. The situation in Waterford has been going on for several weeks, but this was only confirmed to be happening yesterday. “

Mr Varadkar said there was no message from the government requiring the plants to remain open and that it was a “paranoid fantasy” on the part of the deputy.

The tánaiste defended the level of the Covid-19 tests and the regime and said that this week an important milestone had been passed with the one million test.

“Meat plants, as we all know, are at high risk of becoming bunches,” Varadkar said.

“We have known this for a long time and that is precisely why there are specific protocols in relation to meat plants. That is why there is a joint committee on this and why surveillance tests are done on meat plants.

Although the positivity rate is very low, it continues to drop as a precautionary measure, as is the case in nursing homes and some other places.

“While it was suspended last week, when there was a big increase in demand for testing, it was resumed last Monday,” he said.

Varadkar said the decision to close any meat plant or business is made by public health officials or the Health and Safety Authority, HSA, as appropriate.