Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

I would like to do a question and answer session with the Minister on the same issue raised by Deputy Smith. The meat plants are once again major Covid clusters. Of the 56 meat plants in this State, there are 29 open Covid outbreaks. At the majority of the plants, there have been Covid cases in the past 28 days. In the Larry Goodman-owned ABP Bandon plant, 70 of the 300 workers have tested positive for Covid.

It is clear that the big beef barons are putting their wealth before their workers' health and the Government is letting them away with it. To this day, the vast majority of meat plant workers still have no entitlement to sick pay and are working even when they should not. It is like Groundhog Day and the beef barons are being let off the hook again.

Last September, the Minister told the Dáil that the issue of sick pay for meat plant workers was being addressed. When I asked him about it last month, he promised to send on information but never did so. He said today it is essential that every step is put in place to protect meat plant workers. This is a step for which he and the Government are responsible. Will he intervene now to ensure there is mandatory sick pay for all meat factory workers?

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