Dawn Meats is to recommence the production of beef patties for McDonald's next week.
Their facility at Carroll's Cross in Waterford produces one in every five burgers sold in its outlets across Europe.
The plant has remained inactive since the 18th of March and Dawn redeployed all 50 affected employees to other parts of its business.
They will now return to the McDonald's plant on Monday in accordance with enhanced protocols.
Dawn Meats say they've introduced a range of measures to ensure social distancing and a safe production environment is maintained at all times.
This includes enhanced cleaning, installing protective perspex screens and issuing visors to staff.
Dawn Meats CEO Niall Browne says it's great news for their staff and their supplier farmers; he added that it's an important confidence boost for all who have been affected by the closure of restaurants and the loss of the associated production.
McDonald's have begun re-opening restaurants in Ireland and across Europe. Six drive-throughs in Dublin reopened this morning.
Gardaí were called to several due to long queues.
