As many as 600 meat processing workers have tested positive for Covid-19, according to Siptu. The claim comes as concerns mount that the pattern could follow nursing homes.
In the Dáil on Thursday, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said the situation was now "gravely serious".
Siptu says up to 15 workers in the Republic have been hospitalised by the illness and there has been one fatality in Northern Ireland.
On Thursday, the Dáil was told of reports that about 60 employees at Rosderra Meats' Edenderry plant in Co Offaly had tested positive for the virus with more test results due. Earlier this month the Dáil was told of about 100 confirmed cases at its plant in Roscrea, Co Tipperary.
Protective measures
The company has not yet responded to the claims but said the safety and welfare of employees is of the utmost importance and that it is being extremely vigilant with protective measures for infection control.
While the industry itself has said it has taken a number of steps to address the problems, the matter received considerable attention in the Dáil.
Independent TD Carol Nolan said she had been told that 60 workers in the Rosderra Irish Meats plant in Edenderry have now been confirmed as having Covid-19.
Rise TD Paul Murphy said a complaint had been made to the HSE in relation to Moyvalley Meats "that sick workers were working and living alongside other workers". Moyvalley could not be reached for comment.
Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan has put the latest official number of confirmed cases at 500, a rise of 133, with 12 hospitalised by the illness. In total, there are 12 clusters across the country.
Mr Martin said there was a lack of transparency on the issue and that officials needed to visit factory floors to assess the issue.
“Without calling for the shutting down of the sector, it seems very surprising that the blanket testing of a facility is followed by no interruption of work until the results are returned,” he said.
“Would it not be reasonable to halt production for a deep clean and putting in place of new control measures while waiting for the results? Simply sending workers back to work and, indeed, not testing their families does not make sense, particularly given the Minister’s assurance that testing capacity is not an issue.”
Siptu has renewed its calls for mandatory temperature checks for staff. It said processing plants are predominantly staffed by migrant workers from eastern Europe, South America and South Africa in particular and because of relatively low wages – typically about €12 per hour – many of the workers shared accommodation and transport.
Difficulties
The physical conditions of many plants also pose difficulties in the context of Covid-19 in terms of proximity of working.
While no calls have been made for a cessation of operations in what is considered a vital service, demands are growing for increased controls across the sector. “No matter what you do, it’s practically impossible to stop the spread of it,” said one person familiar with the layout of processing plants.
Siptu organiser Greg Ennis said while some processors have worked well with it in terms of providing safety measures, staggered breaks among staff and personal protective equipment, there was a need for temperature checks.
“Temperature testing is not the panacea but it’s something that will help stop the spread of the virus,” Mr Ennis said, but that such pleas had “fallen on deaf ears” in Government.
In a statement, Meat Industry Ireland (MII), the representative body, said its members had introduced "a very substantial suite of protective measures in processing plants".
“They are working with the HSE and authorities in the particular plants affected and the meat processing industry is following the HSE guidance and advice on all aspects related to Covid-19 including preventative measures and procedures around testing.”
