Simon Harris told Dáil Éireann earlier that the Health and Safety Authority (HAS) carried out 190 inspections of premises on Monday & Tuesday of this week. And the HSA told the Dáil Covid Committee on Tuesday that it had carried out no inspection of meat plants: https://www.farmersjournal.ie/no-inspections-carried-out-in-meat-plants-hsa-546965 And while I have received reports of Health & Safety Authority inspectors …
Harris u-turn on contact tracing after being presented with further information
Minister Simon Harris has this afternoon (Thursday) acknowledged that he shares concerns raised by Denis Naughten regarding the contact tracing system. As a result, the Minister has ordered an urgent examination of these concerns regarding Covid infection in the meat & nursing home sectors. “I welcome the fact that Minister Harris has reversed his position on the disclosure of medical …
Key questions must be answered by Ministers on meat plants – Naughten
Later today the Ministers for Health, Agriculture & Business will attend Dáil Éireann to answer questions on the largescale Covid-19 infection in the meat processing industry. “I believe there has been a systemic failure across all three Government Departments, which has resulted in 800+ staff – including up to half of the workforce in at least one meat plant – who …
HSE backs down on disclosure of medical data but still no answer why practice occurred – Naughten
Denis Naughten TD has welcomed confirmation that the HSE is to suspend its practice of sharing medical results with employers before employees, but he has again questioned why the practice was used in the first instance. “To date neither the Minister for Health nor the HSE have addressed the core point I made in Dáil Éireann last Thursday, that this …
HSE’s disclosure of medical data to employers highlights flaws of testing system – Naughten
The confirmation by the Minister for Health that medical results were shared with employers before employees clearly shows that the most basic data protection rights of individuals are being completely ignored by the HSE, says Denis Naughten TD. Denis Naughten disclosed the breach of basic data protection standards in Dáil Éireann last Thursday and immediately furnished examples of staff in …
Dáil takes historic move to directly question three Ministers on scale of Covid infection in meat industry – Naughten
Denis Naughten has confirmed the Dáil Business Committee has taken the unprecedented step of holding three Cabinet Ministers accountable in a single Dáil session on the scale of Covid-19 infection in the meat processing industry. Denis Naughten secured the support of the members of the Dáil Business Committee to hold a specific debate on how several meat processors across the country …
Restart grant for small businesses opening next Friday
Details have been announced today of a Restart Grant for small businesses. This will be available to businesses employing 1-50 people and with a turnover under €5m. The grant will be the equivalent to the rates bill paid by the business in 2019 and will amount to between €2,000 and €50,000. It is intended as a grant towards the …
Dáil to question Agriculture Minister on scale of Covid infection in meat industry – Naughten
Denis Naughten TD has secured a Dáil debate next Thursday with the Minister for Agriculture on the scale of Covid-19 infection within the meat processing industry. Denis Naughten secured the support of the members of the Dáil Business Committee to bring in the Minister for Agriculture to explain how several meat processors across the country have seen a large proportion …
Naughten tells Dáil “contact tracing is so poor that employers informing staff”
Denis Naughten TD has told Dáil Éireann this afternoon that there is so little confidence in the contact tracing system that employers are being provided with Covid test results in order to inform employees. “Those with responsibility for the management of Covid-19 are left in the invidious position of waiting weeks for the contact tracing system to inform …
Fundamental flaws in Covid protections in meat industry must be addressed – Naughten
Failure to do so could have catastrophic implications for health and our economy Denis Naughten TD is calling on the HSE to immediately convene its multi-agency group on the meat industry to address flaws in the Covid protection measures and to make recommendations to the National Public Health Emergency Team. “Ahead of the start of re-opening the economy …