Stock image of workers in a meat factory.''I wouldn't take any comfort from that response''.
It's emerged 30 out of 39 recent inspections of meat plants were announced to factory owners in advance.
The Health and Safety Authority says it informed management either the evening before, or the morning of a planned visit.
The Oireachtas Special Committee on Covid-19 Response has been hearing from unions, meat plant owners and state agencies about the recent increase in coronavirus cases in meat plants.
Health and Safety Authority chief executive Sharon McGuinness told Sinn Féin's David Cullinane they've since returned for unannounced inspections at some plants.
''It would have been roughly about 30 announced, but since then and the end of June we've been going in unannounced to these'', she responded when asked by David Cullinane how many of the inspections were announced and how many were unannounced.
She then added: ''And a number of the plants we've gone back in unannounced as well''.
''OK so of the the 39 you're saying 30 were announced and only 9 were unannounced?'' Mr Cullinane responded.
To which she replied, ''Yes''.
Which prompted Mr Cullinane to say: ''Well I wouldn't take any comfort from that response''.
