HIQA has advised that rapid antigen tests should be used to limit the number of Covid cases in meat plants and other facilities.
Monthly PCR tests already take place at meat plants but the organisation says introducing others would lead to an increase in the detection of cases.
However, using the antigen tests is described as "resource intensive" as people would need to be trained to supervise tests being carried out.
It comes as local Senator Robbie Gallagher criticised the slow pace of decisions being made during the pandemic, telling the Seanad this week that many other countries have already introduced rapid antigen tests.
Speaking on The Wider View today, Conor Teljuer from HIQA said there are a number of reasons why meat plants have had a high number of cases:
