LAST UPDATE | 14 Aug 2020

A MUSHROOM PLANT in Tipperary has suspended its operations due to a number of positive Covid-19 tests.

Walsh Mushrooms in Golden has said that one staff member tested positive with the coronavirus before other close contacts also tested positive.

The plant is located near Cashel, with the company saying that protection of employees and the community is its priority.  

“Operations are being suspended after a member of staff was diagnosed with Covid-19 while in self isolation. Subsequent testing of close contacts has resulted in further positive cases,” the company said in a statement. 

“As a business, we have stringent measures in place to control Covid-19 since March and we have had no incidence of Covid-19 up to this point.”

We are working with the HSE and all relevant authorities assisting in contact tracing and testing of all staff. We will use the opportunity to deep clean the plant during the temporary closure. Essential maintenance will continue at the facility.

“The safety, wellbeing and protection of our employees, their families and the local community is our number one priority.”

Speaking about the closure this evening, Minister for Public Expenditure Michael McGrath said that health officials are now working in the area. 

“My understanding is that the HSE South East area are now actively involved in that case, in Tipperary, and there have been a number of positive tests and it’s just another stark reminder of the challenge that we face in containing the spread of this virus,” he told RTÉ’s Drivetime. 

McGrath added that the government wants to see more inspections by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA): 

“We do want to see more unannounced inspections. I think that there is far more value in an unannounced inspection than there is in one that is scheduled and flagged in advance.”