Mr. Cormac Healy:

I do not. Speaking for Meat Industry Ireland, it is the case that approximately 20% of the workforce represented by our members have sick pay arrangements in place.

As we know, in the context of this pandemic, to which there has been a global and national response, sick pay arrangements have been put in place. It is not the case that people do not have sick pay. There is a pandemic illness sick payment in place where companies do not have one.

The HSE can be asked about this and I am sure the committee will take the opportunity to do so. Asymptomatic and positive cases have been a huge feature of this. The data will show that well in excess of 50% of cases have been asymptomatic. The issue is not meat plants. As I said, the HSE pop-up centres tested in the community and found positivity rates of 4%. I heard the HSE commenting on asymptomatic cases. Meat plants are being characterised as being centres of Covid-19. That is not the case. We have put ourselves in a credible position. I believe the HSE would back up that view based on inspections and our ongoing weekly engagement with it on behalf of our members. The positivity rates that are now being found among the workforce in meat plants are extremely low, despite very high levels of cases in the community, as was evidenced in January last.