Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their attendance.

I want to return to their rationale for not engaging with the unions which, frankly, I find incredible in the current climate. I want to point to Meat Industry Ireland's opening statement where it refers to the reason high-level clusters occurred and states that there was uncertainty as to why large clusters occurred. Mr. Carroll stated this "is recognised as being a complex multifactorial problem with no clear and distinct conclusions". That, quite frankly, is a cop-out because Mr. Carroll answers later on in his statement that they have been able to keep plants relatively Covid-free by instigating, among other things, the work safety protocols which are quite rigorous. The driving force behind the work safety protocols is the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and senior union officials who work on a strategic level - Mr. Carroll seems to be offering himself up here as the strategic mind or brains behind this industry. Why would Meat Industry Ireland not then, as a simple matter of good faith, engage with the unit of civil society that has kept so many of its workers safe and healthy over the past few weeks?