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Covid-19 Pandemic

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 March 2022

Tuesday, 22 March 2022

Questions (374, 375)

Carol Nolan

Question:

374. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the cost incurred by his Department for the supply of Covid-19-related face masks and face coverings since March 2019 to date; the name of the supplier involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13892/22]

View answer

Carol Nolan

Question:

375. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the cost incurred by his Department for the supply of Covid-19-related hand sanitiser since March 2019 to date; the name of the supplier involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13910/22]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 374 and 375 together.

My Department attaches top priority to the health, safety and security of our staff both at headquarters and in our 97 diplomatic and consular missions worldwide.

From the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, my Department has taken a range of steps to maximise the safety of our staff, in line with evolving Government guidelines. These measures have included detailed policies on travel and work place safety, risk assessments, investments in signage, air purifiers and perspex dividers in open plan offices.  Hand sanitiser was provided throughout all our HQ buildings for staff and visitors and face masks were supplied to frontline staff, including those maintaining our buildings and colleagues providing essential passport and consular services. Supplies of sanitiser and face masks were dispatched at the time of the initial onset of the pandemic to missions and were supplied subsequently where local purchase was not reliable. In most cases, missions themselves have funded these modest costs from their own administrative budgets.

Details of Headquarters’ investment in stocks of face masks and hand sanitiser in the period 2019-2022 to-date are set out in the following tables. Sanitiser refill costs were included in our contract cleaning costs throughout the Pandemic at an estimated annual cost of up to €2,000.

Purchase of face masks and face coverings

Year

Name of Supplier

Cost €

2019

N/A

0

2020

Allphar Services Ltd

Argos

Boots

Grosvenor

Lloyds Pharmacy

Total

14,145.00

29.51

10.00

885.60

7.50

15,077.61

2021

Allphar Services Ltd

Grosvenor

HSE Midlands

Marathon Safety Solutions

Prospect Design Ltd

Total

27,675.00

1,377.60

1,327.00

140.00

461.25

30,980.85

2022 to date

Flashbay Electronics Europe Ltd

MJ Scannell Safety Ltd

Vitalrate Ltd

Grosvenor

Total

411.44

46,051.20

1,414.50

135.30

48,012.44

Purchase of hand sanitiser

Year

Name of Supplier

Cost €

2019

N/A

0

2020

Bunzl

Codex

Emergency Care Products

Sourced via IDA Ireland

Total

182.66

276.75

1,461.79

18,570.99

20,492.19

2021

N/A

0

2022 to date

N/A

0

Question No. 375 answered with Question No. 374.
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