Sinn Féin has called for inspections related to COVID-19 in meat plants to be carried out on an unannounced basis.

The party’s spokesperson on agriculture Brian Stanley said neither the Minister for Business or Agriculture could confirm how many inspections had been carried out by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA). Stanley sought the figures in the Dáil on Thursday 26 May.

“What was worse was the fact that the Minister for Business said several times that she didn't need to know how many inspections had taken place,” Stanley said.

"I was then told that this was a confidential matter for the HSA and that it was none of my business.”

Clusters

Stanley said this was despite the fact there were COVID-19 clusters in several plants including some in his Laois-Offaly constituency.

"Sinn Féin wants to protect workers, communities and the industry itself and the best way to do that is to ensure that meat plants adhere to the infection control guidelines set out by the HSE,” he said.

Stanley felt it was bizarre that, despite complaints to the HSA about meat plants not sticking to guidelines, two Ministers told him they did not need to know the number of inspections carried out.

Unannounced

He said the inspections should be made unannounced: “Management should not be given the heads up before inspections during which time they can direct staff to take lunch breaks etc. to ensure social distancing just for that time period.

"It is also important that all meat plants are inspected where clusters have been identified and that no worker returns to work with COVID-19 symptoms until they have the all clear.

"Some meat plants are doing very well right now which illustrates that it is possible to continue production and also maintain social distancing. But we need all plants to do this."

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