Carroll Cuisine suspends production amid Covid-19 outbreak; rapid testing expected to roll out in meat plants

Carroll Cuisines meat fatory has temporarily suspended production. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire

Tullamore food company Carroll Cuisine has temporarily suspended production after it came under intense pressure to close following an outbreak of Covid-19.

The Offaly-based plant is the fourth meat plant in the midlands to close after the detection of Covid-19 clusters among staff in the past week. Kildare Chilling, O'Brien Fine Foods, and Irish Dog Foods have also suspended operations.

The outbreaks have been linked to a spike in Covid-19 cases in the region, which has led to local restrictions being introduced for counties Offaly, Laois, and Kildare for the next fortnight.

Confirming the closure, Carroll Cuisine said the first case was detected on July 31. Nine staff members out of 330 subsequently tested positive for Covid-19 last week after the company used an independent laboratory to test all staff.

On Monday afternoon, the company's chief executive, Kieran Carolan, said the temporary suspension of operations was the “best course of action at this time”.

“The health, safety, and wellbeing of all our people and our wider communities is an absolute priority for us at all times,” said Mr Carolan, adding that staff will be paid as normal.

“While positive case levels among our staff are low, we believe that the best approach is to take this break in operations over the days ahead until we can evaluate the results of comprehensive tests which were undertaken for our staff on a precautionary basis yesterday in co-operation with the HSE."

Mr Carolan welcomed proposals by Agriculture Minister Dara Calleary for a 14-day recurring test programme for the sector, but said the industry also required clearer guidance to manage further Covid-19 outbreaks.

SIPTU join forces with Meat Industry Ireland to arrange rapid testing with the HSE 

A Covid-19 testing facility in Tullamore, Co Offaly, where nine people have tested positive for the virus in the Carroll Cuisines meat factory.

“While closures may be envisaged, the industry will need to continue in operation to supply food and facilities will need to reopen once any particular situation is contained and brought under control. Clear guidance is required on the measures, procedures, and roadmap envisaged by the Government in this regard,” he said.

Before the closure was announced, local politicians had urged Carroll Cuisine to stop production, while Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said the HSE had the power to close plants where appropriate.

While the HSE declined to comment on the Tullamore outbreak, it said a number of factors would be considered before issuing a closure order to any facility.

“Depending on the local circumstances — environment, work practices, travel arrangements, accommodation, and social practices — different stances will be taken on whether to test all staff, some staff considered at slightly higher risk, none immediately, or to wait for the first set of contact results. Likewise, whether to close or keep open the plant will be dependent on all the above factors,” said a HSE spokesperson.

Meanwhile, Siptu has had a “frank and robust” meeting with Meat Industry Ireland where it was agreed they would liaise with the HSE on rolling out rapid testing in meat plants and factories.

“Siptu and Meat Industry Ireland representatives will seek to engage with the HSE to discuss the necessary improvements to testing protocol at meat plants. This will focus on delivering quicker testing and results with a view towards protecting meat workers from infection while maintaining continuity in production,” said Siptu manufacturing division organiser  Greg Ennis.

“Siptu members remain extremely concerned about the current situation in the Irish meat processing industry with its unacceptably high rates of infection of workers, which is running at approximately 10%."

Siptu is also hoping that a meat worker's charter, developed by the union, will be adopted by meat processors to provide “adequate Covid-19 prevention procedures” at meat plants.

The union is expected to meet Meat Industry Ireland again later in the month.