Results 581-600 of 10,843 for speaker:Matt Carthy

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: The Situation in Meat Processing Plants (13 Aug 2020)

Matt Carthy: Is there time for Ms Labo to reply?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: The Situation in Meat Processing Plants (13 Aug 2020)

Matt Carthy: I ask our guests to be as succinct as possible in their responses. During a Dáil debate on 21 May, which I believe was the fourth occasion on which Ministers dismissed any suggestion of potential difficulties in this sector, in response to questions, both the then Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Humphreys, and the then Minister for Agriculture, Food and the...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: The Situation in Meat Processing Plants (13 Aug 2020)

Matt Carthy: No. The question put to the Ministers was how many meat plants had been inspected by the HSA. We got that information from Dr. McGuinness today. On 21 May, two Ministers told us they could not provide it, and the HSA could not provide it to them, because it was confidential. Why was that and how did that change?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: The Situation in Meat Processing Plants (13 Aug 2020)

Matt Carthy: Is Dr. McGuinness aware of any situation where a Minister, prior to 21 May, had asked the HSA for that information?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: The Situation in Meat Processing Plants (13 Aug 2020)

Matt Carthy: We will come back to that issue. It is pertinent because information was given to the Dáil that appears to be suggestible, at least. Who does Meat Industry Ireland expect to pay for testing its members' workers?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: The Situation in Meat Processing Plants (13 Aug 2020)

Matt Carthy: Did Meat Industry Ireland make any submission, either verbally or in writing, to any Government agency suggesting that the State should bear the cost of this testing?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: The Situation in Meat Processing Plants (13 Aug 2020)

Matt Carthy: Mr. Healy is reported in media outlets last Monday stating that the issue of cost was one that still had to be resolved.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: The Situation in Meat Processing Plants (13 Aug 2020)

Matt Carthy: Mr. Healy is answering a different question from the one I asked.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: The Situation in Meat Processing Plants (13 Aug 2020)

Matt Carthy: In terms of the locations, is the workforce and the employers in that instance expected to pay for that testing?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: The Situation in Meat Processing Plants (13 Aug 2020)

Matt Carthy: I will ask a different question because I am running out of time. This morning, lack of transparency in the meat sector was cited as an issue with regard to addressing Covid-19 concerns. I raised one particular case. Mr. Healy might know why his members establish unlimited companies, as opposed to limited companies, and operate via companies registered in other jurisdictions? What would...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: The Situation in Meat Processing Plants (13 Aug 2020)

Matt Carthy: It is relevant to Covid cases arising in the sector. Is it not true that many companies use unlimited structures and operate through funnels in other jurisdictions largely in order to avoid public scrutiny and, in some instances, avoid paying taxes? Does Mr. Healy accept that?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: The Situation in Meat Processing Plants (13 Aug 2020)

Matt Carthy: Let me ask a question of the wider panel of witnesses.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: The Situation in Meat Processing Plants (13 Aug 2020)

Matt Carthy: Reference is made in Meat Industry Ireland's submission to a research paper. It reads: "I would like you to know that, in association with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and public health authorities, we have commenced a pilot research project that will examine [factors relating to Covid]". Does any of our panellists see that herein lies the problem, namely, the cosy...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: The Situation in Meat Processing Plants (13 Aug 2020)

Matt Carthy: There should be an examination, but no other industry examines itself-----

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: The Situation in Meat Processing Plants (13 Aug 2020)

Matt Carthy: -----in the way that Meat Industry Ireland suggests in this submission.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: The Situation in Meat Processing Plants (13 Aug 2020)

Matt Carthy: That is not what the submission stated.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (26 Aug 2020)

Matt Carthy: I want to focus on food processing plants and meat factories. It is fair to say, unless our guests want to contradict me, that outside of healthcare and residential settings, food processing plants are by far the most likely workplace in which Covid-19 clusters emerge. I have two questions. On what basis does testing currently take place in these types of factories? In other words, is...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (26 Aug 2020)

Matt Carthy: I asked what the current basis is. Whose responsibility is it to inform of confirmed cases within factories?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (26 Aug 2020)

Matt Carthy: Whose responsibility is it to inform the public when a positive case emerges in a factory setting?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (26 Aug 2020)

Matt Carthy: These questions are important because we know these centres are the source of considerable outbreaks that arguably led to more restrictions being put in place. Earlier this week, for example, it emerged that two workers from the ABP factory in Clones had contracted and tested positive for Covid-19. It then emerged those cases had been confirmed ten days ago but testing was only taking place...