Browne critical of HSA

Photo © Tipp FM

A local TD says its “crazy” that the Health and Safety Authority refused to go into meat factories for fear of catching Covid-19.

Hundreds of cases have been associated with meat plants – with the outbreaks leading to the lockdowns in Laois, Offaly and Kildare.

It’s believed 150 workers have tested positive at the Kildare Chilling facility, another 86 at O’Brien Fine Foods in Timahoe and nine at the Irish Dog Food Factory in Naas – all the facilities have suspended production.

Carroll Cuisine in Tullamore, which has reported 9 cases, remains open but is undergoing a deep-clean.

Tipperary Sinn Féin TD, Martin Browne says serious action needs to be taken.

“This has the potential of really becoming the exact same as what we witnessed at nursing homes and then we’re in serious trouble that we’d start going back phases – maybe to phase one and a while lockdown.”

“We have two of the counties that are in lockdown bordering Tipperary – we’re probably very close to the same thing happening with Tipperary.”

“Businesses and the public themselves have gone through enough because of lack of direction from the government or the HSA. Or the HSA not doing their work.”