Dublin fruit company, Keelings, has been criticised for flying in workers from Bulgaria to help pick strawberries.
The firm says without them it would be impossible to bring Irish strawberries to the market and that there will be 14 days of restricted movement for any new arrivals before they start work
Ryanair - which operated the chartered flight - says it followed all of the regulations as set out by the World Health Organisation.
Meath councillor Alan Lawes believes it flies in the face of public health guidelines.
"We have packed 189 people on to a plane - it throws the HSE guidelines out the window.
"When we're all living in a police state by consent, 189 people are on a plane where they cannot practice social distancing, that puts them at risk, it puts us at risk, it puts the drivers who are driving them from the airport at risk."
