The Health and Safety Authority is carrying out an average of 60% less Covid-19 inspections and investigations compared to the summer.
Between the middle of May and the end of July, there were 2,648 Covid-19 related inspections and investigations carried out by the HSA, at an average of 39 per day.
However, since the end of July, just 1,832 checks were carried out by the watchdog - with a daily average of 15.
Figures also show, in January the HSA had 105 inspectors - however at the end of August only four had been added - despite calls for increased workplace inspections after it emerged there were a number of outbreaks at meat plants and other settings.
"That's alarming", said Solidarity/People Before Profit TD Brid Smith on the figures. "We cannot keep our regime at such a light touch level that we can't locate where the pandemic is coming from."
Yesterday, figures from the Health Protection Surveillence Centre showed there are 121 open clusters of Covid-19 within workplaces nationally,
The Department of Business has said over 20,000 Covid-19 compliance checks have been carried out by various Government Departments and bodies since May.
In a statement, it said "during the summer, when the restrictions began to ease, the HSA returned to its primary statutory role and has been increasing the number of non-Covid related work safety related inspections being carried out, while other government bodies took over Covid-19 compliance inspections."
