Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 October 2020
331. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Education if it is the responsibility of her Department or each individual management board to ensure adequate PPE is supplied to teachers, staff and students of each primary and post-primary school in the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31111/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 27 July last the Government published the Roadmap for the Full Return to School, along with details of a significant financial package to support the implementation of the measures in the roadmap. The package of supports is expected to cost in excess of €437 million in the 2020/2021 school year and this includes funding for a range of supports being made available to schools includes additional financial supports to provide for additional staffing, management supports, enhanced cleaning, hand hygiene and personal protective equipment costs under the Covid-19 response plans.
Following a centralised procurement process, my Department has established a multi-supplier arrangement from which schools can choose a supplier and select the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Consumables and equipment products that best suits their needs and the requirements under the Roadmap for the Full Return to School:
https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/b264b-roadmap-for-the-full-return-to-school/.
This ensures schools have access to, on a value for money basis, a secure supply chain of various PPE and consumables under the Roadmap and their COVID-19 School Response Plan including hand sanitisers, sanitiser fluids, face coverings/visors, gloves, wipes etc.
