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

There is no problem. My jaw almost hit the floor during the Taoiseach's response when he said the meat plants have been dealt with. Tell that to the six meat factory workers currently hospitalised with Covid-19. Tell that to the meat factory workers in the two plants that have been added to the list of outbreaks in the latest weekly statistics. There are now open outbreaks in 27 of 56 meat plants that have supposedly been dealt with. In towns with meat plants, such as Tullamore, the rates of incidence are five times the national average and the poor conditions of meat factory workers continue. For almost a year now, NPHET and People Before Profit have been calling for proper sick pay for these workers but 90% of them still do not have it. We will introduce a Bill tomorrow that would force the beef barons to provide sick pay for all meat factory workers. Will the Taoiseach support us in dealing with this matter, as opposed to ignoring it or pretending it has been dealt with?

I will go further than Deputy Boyd Barrett. Not only does NPHET not recommend the reopening of construction, it argues that it should not happen. After outlining its list of suggestions, it states "no further relaxation of measures should happen". The Government is again going away from NPHET advice in bowing to the lobbying of the Construction Industry Federation. Will the Taoiseach take responsibility if a disaster results?

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