I propose to take Questions Nos. 658 and 659 together.
As requested by the Deputy, the costs incurred by my Department for the supply of Covid-19 related face masks/face coverings and hand sanitiser since March 2019 to date are outlined in Tables 1 and 2.
Table 1: Name of Supplier and cost of Covid-19 Face Masks incurred by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth from March 2019 to date
Purpose
|
Supplier
|
2019
|
2020
|
2021
|
2022
|
International Protection Applicants
|
Critical Healthcare
|
|
€1,212,892.36
|
€15,730.00
|
|
International Protection Applicants
|
MJ Scannell
|
|
|
€33,390.96
|
€9,239.79
|
Departmental Staff
|
Medguard
|
|
|
€167.28
|
|
Departmental Staff
|
OCS
|
|
|
|
€94.46
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL
|
|
€0.00
|
€1,212,892.36
|
€49,288.24
|
€9,334.25
|
Table 2: Name of Supplier and cost of Covid-19 Hand Sanitiser incurred by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth from March 2019 to date
Purpose
|
Supplier
|
2019
|
2020
|
2021
|
2022
|
International Protection Applicants
|
West Cork Distillers
|
|
€88,524.38
|
€28,000.00
|
|
International Protection Applicants
|
Bunzl
|
|
|
€16,084.92
|
€144.53
|
Departmental Staff
|
Eciffo
|
|
€24.54
|
|
|
Departmental Staff
|
Safety Care
|
|
|
€459.80
|
|
Departmental Staff
|
Hunt Office
|
|
|
|
€312.17
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL
|
|
€0.00
|
€88,548.92
|
€44,544.72
|
€456.70
|
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, my Department has put the required measures in place for Infection, Prevention and Control (IPC), including the provision of hand sanitiser and face masks/coverings. This is in line with obligations set out in the Transitional Protocol: Good Practice for Continuing to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 (published 31st January 2022) and its predecessor the Return to Work Safely protocol (first published 9th May 2020).
The hand sanitiser, provided for use by Departmental staff in the Miesian Plaza office was supplied by One Complete Solution (OCS), the company contracted to provide facilities management services including the provision of supplies. These costs are managed by the Department of Health as lead tenant in the building and my Department pays an agreed percentage. As such, these costs are not reflected in Table 2 as the Department of Health will include the full cost in its response.
Further due to the global Covid-19 pandemic, my Department's International Protection Procurement Service (IPPS), at very short notice, was instructed by the Health Service Executive (HSE) to distribute hand sanitiser and masks to International Protection applicants in all centres around the country.