The HSE is undergoing serial testing at meat processing plans in Kildare, Laois and Offaly.
It comes as 38 cases of Covid-19 have been linked to ABP Foods in Tipperary.
So far 2,254 workers across three factories have been tested.
HSE Lead for Testing and Tracing, is Niamh O’Beirne.
"We are covering all the meat processing plants in the three counties and some food processing facilities also."
It emerged this morning that another outbreak has occurred at a plant, this time in Cahir, Co. Tipperary.
22 workers have contracted the virus, with 16 of their close contacts also testing positive.
Things grew heated at the committee when Sinn Fein TD Matt Carthy asked the head of the HSE whether it was obliged to inform the public about outbreaks in plants.
While Deputy Mattie McGrath was critical of the level of information available about the plant in Cahir.
"We could get no information."
"No phone calls from the HSE."
"They had no information, we could get no information yesterday or over the weekend about the number of tests."
The Committee will also hear from Acting Chief Medical Officer and the Health Minister today.
Reporting by Kacey O'Riordan
