Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate Deputy O'Reilly on bringing this Bill forward. It is hard to understand, however, why we find ourselves asking the Government to make Covid-19 a workplace illness notifiable to the HSA. Over the months we have been battling Covid-19, there have been outbreaks of the virus in various workplaces. Instances in meat processing factories spring to mind. For some reason, the Government resisted pressure from Sinn Féin to include Covid-19 on list of illnesses that must be brought to the attention of the HSA immediately.

In my constituency, Tipperary, there were clusters of the virus in a number of food preparation facilities. There were significant concerns about whether the authorities were handling them right. Quite often it would begin with calls to me from people who had heard rumours that a case or cases had been identified in a local facility. People were concerned because they did not know if it was true or if positive cases were being dealt with and contained properly. If we knew that there was a proactive notification and surveillance system for Covid-19, then we would have had some assurances that an outbreak would be tackled quickly. This shortcoming has also resulted in significant clusters emerging in these settings nationally, putting the health and safety of workers and their families at risk. The most recent figures show that 52 outbreaks of Covid-19 have been associated with such plants. Social distancing and a lack of sick leave, as well as poor treatment of staff, have been identified as particular problems. If Covid-19 were designated as an illness that must be immediately reported to the HSA, would the extent of clusters in these settings and elsewhere have been what they were?

Covid does not discriminate what workplace it goes to. It goes where it pleases. This Bill aims to tackle that to as great an extent as possible. Whether people work in meat plants, care homes, where the dangers are particularly acute, office blocks or elsewhere, the aim of this Bill is to protect them all.

Workers have the right to know that the HSA and other public health bodies are fully briefed of any occurrence of Covid-19 in their places of work. They need to believe that the Government is there for them. This week alone, the Government has practically destroyed any sense of solidarity with workers in certain sectors. Our nurses, midwives and student nurses are an example. Yesterday, I asked the Taoiseach to ensure that nurses who have worked incredibly hard in the fight against Covid-19 would not have to pay their annual retention fees. The Taoiseach refused to give a commitment on that. Last night, all the Government parties voted against paying our student nurses for the long hours they have worked in our underfunded health service.

Today, we hope the Government will come back to reality and recognise the challenges faced in workplaces across this country, tell our workers that they matter and that their health and well-being are our primary concerns. If, however, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Greens refuse to support this Bill, they will have alienated even more workers than they have managed to set adrift so far this week. That is why Sinn Féin introduced the Bill. I call on those on all sides of the House to support it.

See this speech in context