Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
On high alert
Amid infection rate appeal
against complacency – and I would call on everyone to heed that warning.
“We have a duty to protect those in our community who are most vulnerable to this virus.”
Meanwhile, in the Republic a fourth meat plant with Covid-19 cases has shut its doors after pressure mounted from politicians to suspend its operations.
Carroll Cuisine in Tullamore, Co Offaly, opened yesterday but closed hours later with nine staff members testing positive.
Chief Kieran Carolan said: “The health, safety and wellbeing of all our people and our wider communities is an absolute priority for us at all times.”
Yesterday, Fianna Fail’s Sean Fleming urged the company to close voluntarily “and not to have the State to do it over their heads”.
The TD said if the public felt the source of the outbreaks were closed, it would “help in boosting public confidence” to support the people in lockdown in Laois, Offaly and Kildare. Mr Carolan added the operations will need to continue as soon as the situation is resolved.
He said: “We note a number of Government and health service sources have said factories should close wherever there are any cases of Covid.
“However, it’s essential 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 brought under control.
In Co Kildare, Irish Dog Foods in Naas and Kildare Chilling in Kildare Town have suspended operations as has O’brien Fine Foods in Timahoe, Co Laois.