Results 7,661-7,680 of 11,255 for speaker:Colm Burke

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Business of Special Committee (13 Aug 2020)

Colm Burke: I am not sure people would be able to attend a meeting next week. A meeting in two weeks' time may be better but we should decide today whether it will be held then or in three weeks' time so that everyone will have adequate notice.

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

Colm Burke: I thank the Chair and each of the people who have presented here this morning. I want to ask about the process in the beef plants. If a person has the symptoms but does not inform anyone, what is the process for the employer to intervene and insist that the person to go for a test, if the employer becomes aware of these symptoms?

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

Colm Burke: Is the temperature testing being done?

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

Colm Burke: I want to return to the process at the moment.

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

Colm Burke: I want to establish what the process is at the moment.

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

Colm Burke: In the case of the employee who is identified as a suspect case, are the other people who have worked with that person over the previous number of days also asked at that stage to isolate pending proper testing?

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

Colm Burke: Are the witnesses satisfied that has occurred?

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

Colm Burke: Were there any incidents in recent whereby the witnesses became aware that someone was suspected of having Covid and was asked to self-isolate and no action was taken in respect of the rest of the employees? Have the witnesses come across cases like that and have complaints been filed with the relevant authorities?

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

Colm Burke: When Ms Labo became aware of that, were complaints filed by the unions with the relevant authorities?

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

Colm Burke: Has SIPTU filed complaints where proper procedures were not followed by the industry? How many complaints were filed by SIPTU about this matter?

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

Colm Burke: Many issues have been raised about people's living conditions, working conditions, pay and lack of pay when they are out sick. Do the witnesses feel that it is time to set up a commission to look at employment in this area?

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

Colm Burke: Do the witnesses believe that a commission should be established to look at this issue, particularly as it relates to agency workers' pay and conditions and lack of sick pay? Do they believe that a commission being set up is the appropriate way to deal with this?

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

Colm Burke: I thank all the people who have presented to the committee today for the work they are doing. This morning I asked the unions when a person is identified with Covid, if all the other employees who work in that area are asked to self-isolate. The unions more or less indicated that did not always happen. They filed complaints on that matter on a number of occasions. I ask Mr. Carroll or Mr....

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

Colm Burke: I do not know if Mr. Carroll heard the presentation this morning from the unions-----

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

Colm Burke: -----on the complaints relating to instances where protocols were not followed.

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

Colm Burke: The unions gave a different view this morning. The representatives said there were situations when they filed complaints as a result of proper procedures not being followed. I shall move on to the issue referred to earlier whereby 22 clusters were identified at a very early stage. In fairness, Kildare Chilling Company and its employees were not identified in that cluster back in April...

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

Colm Burke: Does Mr. Carroll not think that it would be in the meat industry's interest to try to analyse this issue and to ask if it is, for example, related to housing or transport issues, and the inadequate support for workers that contributes to people contracting Covid-19, such as we heard this morning? It would be in the meat industry's interest to make sure there is no person working in the...

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

Colm Burke: Dr. McGuinness refers in her report to 21 complaints relating to meat or food processing plants. Was it established there was a breach of protocol or procedures with regard to those complaints? Were those complaints made by individuals or by unions?

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

Colm Burke: Over the last 12 months, have warnings been issued at any stage to any meat processing facilities due to not following the correct procedures, regulations or legislation, either when dealing with Covid or outside of it? How many warnings has the HSA had to issue?

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

Colm Burke: Could we get those figures, even from before the Covid pandemic, just to get a feel for how the facilities were complying with regulations? I would like to know how many investigations had to be carried out over the last two years, by the HSA, both in respect of Covid and outside of Covid.