Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 November 2020
807. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education the direction given to schools on the use of hand sanitiser; if hand sanitiser containing alcohol was approved or prohibited; if approved, whether a distinction was drawn between ethanol and methanol; if she will provide communications, letters, emails, directives and materials via which this information was provided to schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33445/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra808. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education if her Department is of the view a product (details supplied) is alcohol free; if not, whether her Department was of the view it contained ethanol or methanol; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33446/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra809. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education the product her Department procured from a company (details supplied); the value of the contract awarded to the company; the quantity of product; the intended recipients and proposed use of product; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33447/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 807 to 809, inclusive, together.
The procurement process for the Education Sector PPE Procurement Agreement in June and July, 2020 resulted in a multi-supplier agreement being concluded with 14 suppliers, including the supplier to which the Deputy refers. The Contract Award Notice was published on 30th July 2020. The majority of suppliers offered alcohol-based products and three among them specialised in alcohol-free products.
As part of the selection process suppliers were required to confirm that their products were compliant with the biocidal and PPE regulations and provide documentation, information on their current live product range and examples of contracts in the last two years which included supply to the Irish public sector. The suppliers in questions fulfilled these requirements.
The procurement process was designed to assist schools by providing them with a list of approved suppliers. Guidance for schools in relation to Hand Hygiene (including the use of hand sanitiser) was set out in the COVID-19 Response Plan for the safe and sustainable reopening of Primary and Special Schools and COVID-19 Response Plan for the safe and sustainable reopening of Post Primary Schools. Copies of the guidance are provided with this reply.
On 22 October 2020 the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine notified my Department that it had removed ViraPro hand sanitiser from the product register. On the same day my Department removed the supplier of Virapro and its entire product offering from the procurement agreement and advised all schools to cease all use of these products. These products have been on general sale and not just available through the education sector framework.
On Friday 23rd the Department of Agriculture advised not to use any Virapro branded product and this was communicated to schools.
My Department immediately commenced a review of biocidal products included in the Education Sector PPE procurement agreement. The review has been undertaken in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine, which is the regulator in Ireland for biocidal products.
This involved reviewing 172 items from 14 suppliers. The outcome of this review was a decision to take 43 biocidal and 9 other products off the approved list for schools because it has not been possible to satisfactorily confirm their registration status as part of this review. These products will not be included in my Department’s approved list for schools until their registration status has been confirmed. The Department has no evidence that these products are unsafe.
Immediately following the product review my Department on Thursday 29 October, 2020 wrote to all schools to advise them of changes to the approved list of products on the Education Sector PPE procurement agreement, and the steps they can take to procure new stock if they need to. Suppliers on the agreement committed to swift processing of orders and delivery to support schools.
The Department has added a new supplier to the PPE Agreement, who has confirmed possession of the required biocidal registrations, and 23 new products to the agreement.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine and the Education Procurement Service are engaging directly with the suppliers concerned regarding the status of these products and it may be possible to reinstate these products to the agreement at a later date.
In the case of the ViraPro product I understand that the supplier has supplied approximately 10% of schools. My Department has estimated that the total value of the product supplied is approximately €200,000 to €300,000.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine is engaging with the supplier in relation to the recall.
Arrangements are in place to ensure that schools impacted will be provided with funding to source new supplies, and to provide for the cost of Aide. My Department continues to work closely with schools to ensure that they will have sufficient PPE and other supplies in time for the reopening of schools after the mid-term break.
