A cluster of Covid-19 has been identified in the South East.
Dawn Meats in Grannagh - on the Kilkenny/Waterford border - has at least 28 confirmed cases of the virus.
It's understood 7 new infections were identified at the meat plant yesterday.
Speaking to Déise Today on her local radio station, Waterford Fianna Fail TD, Minster Mary Butler, says the company must be held to account:
"There needs to be a response from the highest level of this company."
"There needs to be a response from the owners......there's no shame in having a cluster in your business."
Waterford Sinn Fein TD, and party health spokesperson, David Cullinane, says the situation is extremely worrying:
"It was confirmed to me yesterday by the Minister for Health."
"There's at least 28 cases that are a direct association to that workplace."
"It's a large outbreak and it's concerning."
A statement from Dawn Meats:
"Dawn Meats continues to work closely with the HSE and other Government agencies in maintaining its implementation of comprehensive measures to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
Dawn Meats supports the recent mass testing being carried out across all meat processing plants in the country.
The incidence of Covid-19 in the meat processing sector remains low, with the HSE’s mass testing programme confirming 72 cases out of 15,842 tests conducted, a positive test rate of 0.45%.
Whilst we do not plan to publish updates or give commentary on test results at specific plants, where positive tests are identified we will ensure all staff, close contacts, and the HSE and relevant authorities are fully informed. Dawn Meats approach is that any staff member who may be obliged to self-isolate in line with HSE guidelines, will continue to be be paid.
The production of food is an essential service that it is important to maintain, but it has to be done in a manner that deals with the risk of Covid appropriately. We want to thank the health workers who have supported our staff’s health and well-being, and our staff and our farmer suppliers who work daily to produce high quality food for consumers nationally and across the world."
