Departmental Information

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 December 2020

Tuesday, 15 December 2020

Questions (647)

Michael Fitzmaurice

Question:

647. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the attention of the professional personnel in his Department was drawn to a red flag warning which was widely reported in toxicology and regulatory circles and raised by the Food and Drug Administration in the United States of America earlier in summer 2020, detailing serious concerns regarding high methanol levels in some imported Mexican hand sanitiser products; if not, the reason; if his Department put in place effective measures and procedures to identify and locate these products in Ireland; if an assurance will be given that all entries into and on the Biocidal Product Registers are now being appropriately reviewed and re-examined for adverse toxicological affects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42855/20]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

My Department became aware, through the Health Products Regulatory Authority, of a USDA Rapid Alert regarding the presence of methanol in hand sanitiser in the United States. This information related only to products originating in Mexico with no indication of this product being made available to the EU market

As a precautionary measure, my Department's Pesticides Formulation Laboratory set about developing a new and appropriate method to analyse these types of products. This new Testing method satisfies the conditions for full Irish National Accreditation Board (INAB) accreditation.

Registration of notified products in Ireland requires a review of information prescribed by the Pesticide Controls Division and which must be submitted by the product applicant.

I regard the protection of public health as our key priority. To ensure this, my Department continues to sample and test biocide products currently on the market here to ensure their continued compliance with regulatory standards and thereby provide the necessary assurance of public safety.