Written Answers Nos. 67-87
67. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the actions his Department is taking to highlight the importance of farm safety; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33518/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has and continues to undertake a wide range of programmes to highlight the importance of farm safety. My Ministerial colleague, Minister Heydon has been assigned specific responsibilty for farm safety in his portfolio.
As part of the package of new farm safety measures in Budget 2021, €1m in funding has been provided to support ‘locally-led’ farm safety initiatives. It is intended that a call under the locally led Innovation Partnership model (EIP’s) specifically related to farm safety will be issued by early 2021.
DAFM, in conjunction with the HSA funded a television, radio and print media farm safety campaign in September of this year focused on reminding farmers not to be complacent around machinery.
Significant investment has been made in both specific farm safety items under the TAMS II schemes, as well as investment in the construction of new buildings, and the mandatory requirement to have completed a minimum of a ½ days farm safety course within the last five years. Additionally, ‘Health and Safety’ guidelines are included in all ‘Building Specifications,’ drawn up by my Department for the construction of agricultural buildings and structures. In addition a Farm Safety leaflet is included with the Single / Basic Payment application packs, distributed annually to over 130,000 farmers.
Through the Research Stimulus Fund my Department is funding a farm safety research project entitled: “BESAFE - Behaviours for Safer Farming: The health and safety of farmers is a significant challenge for the social sustainability of Irish agriculture”. The aim of the BeSafe project is to develop and support the adoption of tailored approaches to improve farm safety thereby effecting positive lasting change.
With the on-going level of fatal accidents involving farm machinery, my Department in conjunction with the Health and Safety Authority and the Irish Farmers Journal have jointly developed an on-line Tractor Safety Awareness Training course which was launched by Minister Heydon in September of this year.
This Department is also an active member of the Farm Safety Partnership Advisory Committee and is in regular contact with the HSA. This committee looks at how to promote and develop farm safety. Additionally, my Department is actively involved in the North South Farm Safety Group which formed in 2015. The purpose of the group is to seek ways in which the respective authorities can work together to enhance the work currently undertaken in each jurisdiction on Farm Safety.
68. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to fund the remaining applications under tranche 17 and 18 of TAMS II before tranche 19 is decided. [33522/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe suite of seven TAMS II measures launched under the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 have been very popular with over 32,000 approvals issued to date.
Until approvals issued to applicants are acted upon and payment claims are submitted or they expire without a payment claim being submitted, a budgetary provision must be maintained. My Department has engaged with advisers and farm bodies to encourage farmers with outstanding approvals to either submit the payment claim or to inform the Department that they do now wish to proceed. If they do not proceed and we are aware this means we can recycle the committed budget for another applicant.
The position in relation to Tranche 17 of TAMS II is that the tranche was extended due to Covid-19 resulting in a 21-week tranche. A total of 4,952 new applications were received. There were considered together with the applications rolled over from tranche 16. As with all tranches all applications received were ranked in accordance with the set ranking procedure. Details of the ranking and selection criteria are widely available including on my Department’s website since TAMS II opened in 2015. The top ranked 70% of the applications received were approved to proceed.
In relation to Tranche 18, 3,448 applications were received and together with the 1,116 eligible applications rolled over from Tranche 17 bringing the total number of applications for consideration to 4,564. These were once again ranked and the top 70% of applications were selected for approval.
It is open to applicants to withdraw an unsuccessful application and submit a new one under a subsequent tranche bearing in mind the ranking criteria.
Payments under TAMS have now reached €250m with a further €130m committed in approvals. Payments are currently issuing at an average rate of €1.4m per week. I was very pleased to secure a budget of €80m for 2021 to provide for payments, including provision for those approved under tranches 17 and 18. Participants who have completed approved works are advised to submit their payment claims as soon as they are in a position to do so.
The suite of seven TAMS II measures launched under the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 have been very popular with over 32,000 approvals issued to date.
Until approvals issued to applicants are acted upon and payment claims are submitted or they expire without a payment claim being submitted, a budgetary provision must be maintained. My Department has engaged with advisers and farm bodies to encourage farmers with outstanding approvals to either submit the payment claim or to inform the Department that they do now wish to proceed. If they do not proceed and we are aware this means we can recycle the committed budget for another applicant.
The position in relation to Tranche 17 of TAMS II is that the tranche was extended due to Covid-19 resulting in a 21-week tranche. A total of 4,952 new applications were received. There were considered together with the applications rolled over from tranche 16. As with all tranches all applications received were ranked in accordance with the set ranking procedure. Details of the ranking and selection criteria are widely available including on my Department’s website since TAMS II opened in 2015. The top ranked 70% of the applications received were approved to proceed.
In relation to Tranche 18, 3,448 applications were received and together with the 1,116 eligible applications rolled over from Tranche 17 bringing the total number of applications for consideration to 4,564. These were once again ranked and the top 70% of applications were selected for approval.
It is open to applicants to withdraw an unsuccessful application and submit a new one under a subsequent tranche bearing in mind the ranking criteria.
Payments under TAMS have now reached €250m with a further €130m committed in approvals. Payments are currently issuing at an average rate of €1.4m per week. I was very pleased to secure a budget of €80m for 2021 to provide for payments, including provision for those approved under tranches 17 and 18. Participants who have completed approved works are advised to submit their payment claims as soon as they are in a position to do so.
69. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the alternatives his Department is undertaking to trade missions in view of Covid-19 restrictions and the need to continue to develop new market opportunities for Irish produce post-Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33539/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraGaining third country market access, and opening up trading opportunities around the world for Irish exports, have long been integral to my Department’s strategic approach to the development of the agri-food sector. This is particularly important as we deal with the challenges presented by Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trade missions will continue to play a key role here. Our traditional "in person" method of developing trade with customers is not feasible currently. To that end, my Department, in conjunction with Bord Bia, is holding a series of Virtual Trade Missions on 9 and 10 November with customers in Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines. These interactive engagements will include Irish industry and existing and potential customers overseas. There will also be a series of virtual meetings with key international customers from Germany, the UK, Japan, China, UAE and SE Asia.
The Government's commitment to new market development is illustrated by its appointment of Martin Heydon T.D., as Minister of State with specific responsibility for this task. My Department has also placed four additional Agriculture Attaches in the Irish Embassy network in recent years, in Berlin, Tokyo and Mexico City in 2019, and in Seoul, South Korea, in 2020. In addition, my Department's International Trade activities are being reorganised and further developed to deal with the challenges of Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic.
70. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will expand the use of the gamma interferon test to eradicate bovine TB in the national herd; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33290/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe gamma interferon test (also referred to as the GIF test or IFN-gamma test) is a valuable tool for detecting TB infection in cattle. It has been widely used as a core part of the TB eradication programme in Ireland since 2015 following many years of it being researched and tested in specific problem herds. Like all such tools, it is important to use it in ways which maximise its utility. Each diagnostic test has strengths and weaknesses, and the way in which a test is used must take these into account. The key measures of a diagnostic test’s accuracy are sensitivity and specificity. As is the case with diagnostic tests for other diseases, none of the tests currently available for the diagnosis of bovine TB (bTB) allow a perfectly accurate determination of the M. bovis infection status of cattle.
The single intradermal comparative tuberculin skin test (SICCT), often referred to as the skin test, which is used in Ireland is universally regarded as the best screening test in a general population of animals. However, in a group of animals where TB infection is known to be present, the gamma interferon test is used because it can detect infected cattle at an earlier stage post-infection than the skin test. Therefore it can detect a higher proportion of infected cattle; in other words, it has higher sensitivity than the skin test. When used in parallel to the skin test, the gamma interferon blood test can help to resolve TB problems in a herd more quickly by identifying cattle at an early stage of infection before they can spread infection onwards.
The gamma interferon test is used as standard in herds which have experienced a significant TB breakdown (for example, five or more reactors, 5% of the herd, or where the investigating veterinary inspector deems it necessary on epidemiological grounds). In addition, the gamma interferon test is used as a quality control measure on SICTT reactors, providing additional confidence in the quality of the skin testing process.
However, the gamma interferon test is not suitable for use as a general screening test, in the way the SICCT test is used, because it has lower specificity than the skin test. That means the proportion of truly non-infected cattle identified as negative is lower with the gamma interferon test than with the skin test. Using it in herds not thought to be TB-infected would lead to non-infected cattle testing false positive.
One of the recommendations made by the TB Forum was for additional focussing on herds with chronic or recurrent TB problems. Based on this recommendation my officials are developing policies which will involve additional uses of the gamma interferon test; these will be discussed in more detail at the TB Forum as part of the ongoing discussions on TB strategy.
Currently, there are two laboratories in Ireland carrying out gamma interferon TB testing for my Department; a tender for a third lab to provide additional testing capacity has recently closed and this is expected to support an increase in test capacity.
71. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the details of his Department's response following the collapse of the online bidding system for livestock marts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33562/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince the beginning of the Covid19 crisis, my Department has worked intensively, in cooperation with marts representative organisations, to ensure that marts may remain in operation.
I would like to commend the representative organisations for this good and necessary cooperation. I would like to commend also the marts themselves, and farmers around the country, for the resilience they have shown in the face of this pandemic, and the speed with which they have adapted to the new circumstances.
Marts have been using online mart sales systems since April. From a position where few marts had online systems in place in April, there has been a rapid take up of the new systems by marts over recent months. Currently the majority of marts have online systems in place and are operating through online platforms. Some remaining marts are in the process of installing online systems. Thousands of cattle and sheep have been bought and sold successfully using the various online platforms. As with any new technology, there have been some glitches and these have been dealt with as they arise. Buyers may still view animals in person by prior appointment with the relevant mart.
On Saturday, 24th October, one of the three main online systems used by marts had a problem that led to a delay in mart sales in 16 mart centres. The problem was resolved after approximately 2 hours and sales were able to resume. 26 of some 30 mart sales that took place across the country on that day completed their sales, while four marts were reported as having cancelled. Officials of my Department are in contact with each of the system providers, and all reaffirmed their commitment to taking all necessary steps to try to avoid any reoccurrence of such problems. According to the online platform, the issue was not related to broadband connection.
My Department is closely monitoring the situation. Online sales are reaching a much higher number of farmers, dealers, and agents than sales on marts premises did, even prior to the start of Covid restrictions. The majority of marts are reporting good clearance rates and robust prices.
Since the introduction of Level 5, during the first five days on which marts were in operation using online sales, the cattle throughput in marts came to 36,034 head – this compares to 42,918 head in the corresponding five day period in 2019. This means that, despite the undoubted disruption caused by moving to Level 5, mart throughput of cattle was 84% of the figures for that period in 2019. This demonstrates that marts have been able to continue to operate and farmers have been able to continue to buy and sell, thanks to the commitment and resourcefulness of the marts and service providers involved.
These figures are testament to the hard work and commitment of marts and service providers to keep operating in this difficult period. My Department will continue to monitor the situation, and to adapt measures applied to marts in line with public health guidelines.
72. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which farmers and agri-food business can get involved in the bioeconomy; the role his Department is playing in developing such opportunities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33602/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe critical role of the Bioeconomy in a sustainable global transition has been widely recognised albeit at an early stage of development. The bioeconomy refers to the development of value from biological resources with a particular focus on waste streams.
The Government has invested significantly in this early development. This follows the development of a national policy statement and the establishment of a cross departmental group, co-chaired by my Department. Financial support for this developments includes through my Department's competitive research and Rural Development Programme funding, through the BiOrbic Bioeconomy Research Centre (through Science Foundation Ireland) and the Irish Bioeconomy Foundation (through Enterprise Ireland) building coalitions and public-private partnerships for co-investment with leading innovative companies, co-operatives and farmers.
There are a number of excellent examples of farmer and agri-business engagement with the Bioeconomy. These include: the development, through EU funding, of a biorefinery for dairy waste in Lisheen, Co. Tipperary; the development of a marine biorefinery in Co. Monaghan; and the development of Carbon-Neutral demonstration farm in Shinagh Farm, Co. Cork . My Department also supports a grass small-scale biorefinery demonstration project in Co. Cork under out EIP initiative, as part of our Rural Development Programme.
My Department has recently announced the following further actions to further bioeconomy development:
The allocation of 8 million euro reseach funding recently committed to a number of projects to support the generation of knowledge in the areas of agriculture, forestry and food and the bioeconomy.
The imminent establishment of a bioeconomy forum to provide a voice for a broad range of stakeholders in the bioeconomy including the agri-food industry, primary producers, relevant state bodies and community groups and which will be set up shortly.
The recent running of Bioeconomy Ireland Week 2020 to raise awareness of the bioeconomy and its products and to work with both public and private stakeholder to present ongoing research, innovation, demonstration, primary production, industrial, product and market activities that highlight how the bioeconomy is developing and being structured and mobilised in Ireland.
In conclusion, my Department and our partners across government are playing a leading role in the development of the bioeconomy and for the benefit of farmers, fishermen and agri-business.
73. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the process involved in approving products (details supplied) for use here; the communications issues that led to a delay in the public being informed that these products were found not to be up to standard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33520/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraBiocidal products, including hand sanitisers, may only be marketed and used in Ireland once they are registered with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and entered on the Biocidal Product Register" in accordance with Regulation 20 of Statutory Instrument 427 of 2013.
The hand sanitiser Virapro was approved by our Biocides Unit and registered on the 21st April 2020 on the basis of the documentary application, including a technical specification that it contained 70% ethanol which is a common standard for hand sanitiser products and fully complies with regulations.
Following investigations, laboratory results received on 16th October showed that the products did not meet the standards for approval, particularly with regard to the presence of methanol.
The company was immediately instructed to retain all product in its possession and recall all remaining product under the ViraPro name from the market or in use by the public.
On the 20th October ViraPro hand sanitiser was removed from the Department's Biocides Register. On the same day officials had informal contact with Department of Education Procurement Service on the matter.
On 21st October my Department contacted the HSE with results relating to ViraPro products sampled from the earlier consignments which were owned by the HSE.
The primary responsibility for the withdrawal of products rests with the company concerned. On Thursday 22nd October it became evident on the basis of communication from the company that the recall of products had not yet commenced.
At that point my Department took the additional step of issuing a statement outlining the possible risks posed by Virapro products and advising members of the public not to use it. My Department also issued formal notification to Departments of Education, Health and Children. I was informed of the situation by my Department for the first time on the evening of 22nd October.
The Department is taking this matter very seriously, and will continue to follow up and investigate as appropriate.
My Department is continuing to increase its testing of product on the market to provide reassurance in relation to compliance with approved product specifications. Test results available so far indicate no safety issues with other sanitiser products sampled.
74. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the initiatives his Department is undertaking to improve farm safety and to promote better mental health and well-being amongst farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33534/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has and continues to undertake a wide range of initiatives to highlight the importance of and promotion of farm safety. My ministerial colleague, Martin Heydon, TD. has been assigned specific responsibilty for Farm Safety within my Department.
In relation to the promotion of better mental health, my Department is co-funding, with the HSE and the Department of Health, a farmers physical and mental health awareness package entitled ‘On Feirm Ground’ under the auspices of the ENGAGE National Men’s Health Training programme. This programme was launched on 19 October this year.
As part of budget 2021, I also announced the allocation of €1m for specific investment in Farm safety initiatives under an EIP model.
Through the Research Stimulus Fund my Department is funding a farm safety research project entitled: “BESAFE - Behaviours for Safer Farming: The health and safety of farmers is a significant challenge for the social sustainability of Irish agriculture”. Given the unique occupational characteristics of farming there is a need to tailor approaches that seek to improve safety. The aim of the BeSafe project is to develop and support the adoption of these approaches thereby effecting positive lasting change.
With the on-going level of fatal accidents involving farm machinery, my Department in conjunction with the Health and Safety Authority and the Irish Farmers Journal have jointly developed an on-line Tractor Safety Awareness Training course which was launched in September of this year.
Beyond this significant investment has been made in both specific farm safety items under the TAMS II schemes, as well as investment in the construction of new buildings, and the mandatory requirement to have completed a minimum of a ½ days farm safety course on completing the Code of Practice within the last five years. Additionally, ‘Health and Safety’ guidelines are included in all ‘Building Specifications,’ drawn up by my Department for the construction of agricultural buildings and structures. The guidelines give advice on best practice and legislation.
My Department and the HSA are also jointly funding a media campaign for television in September of this year.
75. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the supports in place for the indigenous wool trade industry; his plans to develop further business opportunities for the industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25978/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraWool production is an important component of agri-industry. There are approximately 46,124 sheep flock-keepers registered on my Department’s database. The data from the 2019 census returns indicate that there were 3.8 million sheep in the State on 31 December 2019, representing an increase of 2% on the December 2018 figure of 3.73 million.
Approximately 2.76 million sheep were slaughtered in 2019. In terms of producing the wool for sale, in general, the farmer outsources the shearing of the sheep and sell the wool to agents. My Department officials oversee and inspect 50 approved and registered wool stores where the wool is held while awaiting sale.
Ireland produces excellent quality wool. The factors contributing to this quality include Irish genetic breeding standards, sheep welfare standards and the availability of quality Irish grass, water and nutritional supplementation on Irish Sheep farms. Irish sheep have a high animal health status being free from sheep exotic diseases including sheep pox that when present downgrades wool quality. In addition, Irish sheep farms adheres to high biosecurity and quality assurance standards. The animal husbandry on Irish sheep farms ensures that programmes are in place to control ectoparasites such as sheep scab that can downgrade wool quality where it is not controlled. All of these factors contribute to the excellent quality of Irish wool.
In an industry such as the wool industry where prices tend to move in cycles and market forces and market demand dictate the price, it is imperative that the players ensure and promote a diversity of options for the product in the market place. Wool is a sustainable natural resource and is used in fabrics, furniture, carpeting, bedding and indeed can also be in gardening and makes an excellent compost. There are many other different and diverse possible ways that wool can be utilised including wool pellet production which is an excellent organic fertiliser, sound proofing, insulation, packaging and as natural slug repellent. The current market uncertainties should provide an impetus for the industry players to come together to see what business opportunities are out there and try to promote the excellent product in as many markets as possible.
You will be aware that one of our actions under the Programme for Government is to undertake a review of the potential demand in domestic and international markets for wool based products such as insulation and fertilisers. A sum of €100,000 has been allocated to this project and I am currently examining how best to conduct this review. My Department will organize a consultation process with Industry in relation to the Terms of Reference of the review over the coming months.
76. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of festivals and fairs his Department will fund or sponsor in 2021. [33523/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is very supportive of agricultural fairs and festivals and acknowledges the benefit that they provide in showcasing livestock and agricultural produce, along with the wider social benefits to local communities.
My Department does not have a direct role in the organisation of these events, but makes a contribution through the Irish Shows Association in respect of the insurance costs involved. The Department intends to continue this financial assistance in 2021 but, at this stage, it is not possible to know the number of events that may proceeed, as the extent to which they will take place next year will be dependant on public health advice.
77. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which his Department is continuing to support the development of new markets for Irish exports in the current Covid-19 and Brexit environment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33550/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraGaining third country market access, and opening up trading opportunities around the world for Irish exports, have long been integral to my Department’s strategic approach to the development of the agri-food sector. This is particularly important as we deal with the challenges presented by Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trade missions will continue to play a key role here. Our traditional "in person" method of developing trade with customers is not feasible currently. To that end, my Department, in conjunction with Bord Bia, is holding a series of Virtual Trade Missions on 9 and 10 November with customers in Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines. These interactive engagements will include Irish industry and existing and potential customers overseas. There will also be a series of virtual meetings with key international customers from Germany, the UK, Japan, China, UAE and SE Asia.
The Government's commitment to new market development is illustrated by its appointment of Martin Heydon T.D., as Minister of State with specific responsibility for this task. My Department has also placed four additional Agriculture Attaches in the Irish Embassy network in recent years, in Berlin, Tokyo and Mexico City in 2019, and in Seoul, South Korea, in 2020. In addition, my Department's International Trade activities are being reorganised and further developed to deal with the challenges of Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic.
78. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures he is taking to ensure that farmers have access to livestock marts to ensure food production supply chains are secured; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33533/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince the beginning of the Covid19 crisis, my Department has worked intensively, in cooperation with marts representative organisations, to ensure that marts may remain in operation. I would like to commend the representative organisations for this good and necessary cooperation. I would like to commend also the marts themselves, and farmers around the country, for the resilience they have shown in the face of this pandemic, and the speed with which they have adapted to the new circumstances.
My Department has adapted the conditions under which marts must operate since April, to reflect the various measures introduced by the Government to stop the spread of Covid19, and to allow marts to continue to operate.
From April to June 8th, marts operated without public attendance at sales rings, with marts able to operate transactions online or facilitate the brokering of sales, including the weighing and viewing of stock and the safe processing of financial transactions for buyers and sellers. From June, as other public health restrictions lifted, public attendance at sales rings was again permitted in marts subject to strict compliance with Covid19-specific standard operating procedures in each mart, based on the HSE Covid19 rules.
On 19th October, the Taoiseach announced that the whole country would move to Level 5 of the Framework for Living with Covid19 for a period of 6 weeks, starting midnight on Wednesday, the 21st.
Protecting the agri-food sector and people in rural communities is at the centre of my Department’s direction, on 20th October, that sales rings must close and that all marts may conduct sales by brokering transactions or by using online platforms only.
From a position where few marts had online systems in place in April, there has been a rapid take up of the new systems by marts over recent months. Currently the vast majority of marts have online systems in place and are operating through online platforms. Some remaining marts are in the process of installing online systems. Thousands of cattle and sheep have been bought and sold successfully using the various online platforms.
Online sales are reaching a much higher number of farmers, dealers, and agents than sales on marts premises did, even prior to the start of Covid restrictions. The number of people logging in to onlien mart sales on a daily basis are many multiples of the number of people that typically attend a mart in person. The majority of marts are reporting good clearance rates and robust prices.
Since the introduction of Level 5, during the first five days on which marts were in operation using online sales, the cattle throughput in marts came to 36,034 head – this compares to 42,918 head in the corresponding five day period in 2019. This means that, despite the undoubted disruption caused by moving to Level 5, mart throughput of cattle was 84% of the figures for that period in 2019. This demonstrates that marts have been able to continue to operate and farmers have been able to continue to buy and sell, thanks to the commitment and resourcefulness of the marts and service providers involved. Buyers may still view animals in person by prior appointment with the relevant mart.
These figures are testament to the hard work and commitment of marts to keep operating in this difficult period. My Department will continue to monitor the situation, and to adapt measures applied to marts in line with public health guidelines.
79. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the process involved in approving products (details supplied) for use here; the communications issues that led to a delay in the public being informed that these products were found not to be up to standard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33504/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraBiocidal products, including hand sanitisers, may only be marketed and used in Ireland once they are registered with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and entered on the Biocidal Product Register" in accordance with Regulation 20 of Statutory Instrument 427 of 2013.
The hand sanitiser Virapro was approved by our Biocides Unit and registered in April 2020 on the basis of the documentary application, including a technical specification that it contained 70% ethanol which is a common standard for hand sanitiser products and fully complies with regulations.
Following investigations, laboratory results received on 16th October showed that the products did not meet the standards for approval, particularly with regard to the presence of methanol.
The company was immediately instructed to retain all product in its possession and recall all remaining product under the ViraPro name from the market or in use by the public.
On the 20th October ViraPro hand sanitiser was removed from the Department's Biocides Register. On the same day officials had informal contact with Department of Education Procurement Service on the matter.
On 21st October my Department contacted the HSE with results relating to ViraPro products sampled from the earlier consignments which were owned by the HSE.
The primary responsibility for the withdrawal of products rests with the company concerned. On Thursday 22nd October it became evident on the basis of communication from the company that the recall of products had not yet commenced.
At that point my Department took the additional step of issuing a statement outlining the possible risks posed by Virapro and advising members of the public not to use it. My Department also issued formal notification to Departments of Education, Health and Children. I was informed of the situation by my Department for the first time on the evening of 22nd October.
My Department is taking this matter very seriously, and will continue to follow up and investigate as appropriate.
My Department is continuing to increase its testing of product on the market to provide reassurance in relation to compliance with approved product specifications. Test results available so far indicate no safety issues with other sanitiser products sampled.
