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LAST UPDATE | 29 Oct 2020
THE DEPARTMENT OF Education has issued an urgent notice to schools that a further 52 sanitising products have been removed from its approved list following the recall of Virapro sanitisers before the mid-term break.
Multiple types of wipes, hand sanitisers, soaps and detergents have been removed from the approved list following a review from the the Departments of Education and Agriculture of biocidal products in use as PPE in schools.
This comes despite the Minister for Agriculture saying last weekend that there was not “any question or any sign of there being issues with any other hand sanitiser”.
Schools with stock of the products that have been taken off the list have been advised to no longer use the products and to “store them securely until collected by the supplier”.
The Department of Education has told schools that they will be provided with funding to obtain new supplies.
In a statement, the department said that the “Education Procurement Service has engaged with suppliers on the [PPE] agreement in the last few days and there is sufficient stocks available for schools to order”.
Schools seeking new product to replace stock should contact any of the suppliers on the agreement directly to process orders,” the department said.
“The Department is working with suppliers to ensure that stock is provided to schools in time for reopening on Monday 2 November where needed.”
“Suppliers are ready to prioritise school orders they receive.”
17 types of hand sanitisers have been removed from the approved list, along with five types of hand sanitiser refills.
Eight types of hand soap, eight detergents and 14 types of wipes have also been removed from the list.
172 products were assessed in total under the review.
Following the removal of some products, and the addition of others, 120 products are currently available for schools to use.
Some schools were forced to shut on the last day before the mid-term break due to a recall of Virapro sanitisers that were in use in multiple schools.
The sanitisers had been in use in schools, health, and retail settings, with over one million Virapro sanistiers recalled from health service locations.
On Sunday, Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue said that no issues had been identified with sanitisers other than Virapro, which had been recalled.
Speaking on RTÉ’s This Week in Politics, McConalogue said: “There isn’t any question or any sign of there being issues with any other hand sanitiser.”
Schools received communication from the Department of Education today to inform them of the new changes to the approved list.
Pat McKenna, the principal of Pobalscoil Neasáin in Baldoyle, North Dublin, said that his school received an email at 16:28.
In a statement, the Department of Education said that it is removing 43 biocidal and 9 other products from the approved list for schools because it “has not been possible to satisfactorily confirm their registration status as part of the review”.
“These products will not be included in our approved list for schools until their registration status has been confirmed,” the department said.
“The Department has no evidence that these products are unsafe.”
The department has told schools that are impacted by the removal of products that they will receive funding for an Aide for two days who will assist with handling the issue.
The Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) has said that the removal of the products from the list was a “necessary” decision.
TUI General Secretary Michael Gillespie said that “while we recognise and regret the disruption that this will cause, the TUI believes that recalling the products is the necessary and correct decision”.
Gillespie said that the use of “defective or sub-standard products” must be “eliminated” in order to protect health and safety within schools.
We want real security, not the illusion of security, for our members, their students and their families.”
“We would urge the Department to ensure that replacement products of the required high standard are supplied to schools as a matter of urgency so that school opening can be sustained,” he said.
Opposition parties have reacted strongly to the announcement, with many saying that the department must be scrutinised for its handling of the issue.
Sinn Féin’s education spokesperson Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire said that informing schools of the changes to the list just days ahead of reopening after will mean that schools will be “scrambling to find replacements”.
“Indeed, given the range of products involved, then it may be even more difficult that it was with Virapro. This is a huge number of items from a list that schools were actively encouraged to buy from,” Ó Laoghaire said.
“I understand that all sanitiser providers were asked to provide product samples which were then assessed and evaluated by a team with the necessary technical competence,” he said.
If that happened, then how did these tests fail to identify that some products such as Virapro were actively harmful? In the case of several other products, the paperwork wasn’t in order. Does the Department have any comeback against the companies?”
The Social Democrats have said that Minister Norma Foley should come before the Dáil to account for the changes in the approved sanitiser products.
Gary Gannon, the Social Democrats’ education spokesperson, said that this “latest development is devastating to the morale of school communities and further undermines confidence in the Department of Education”.
Gannon said that a guarantee is needed that safe replacement products would be provided to schools in time to reopen on Monday.
The Minister for Education must come into the Dáil next week and demonstrate some leadership – hiding away from scrutiny is no longer acceptable.”
Labour’s education spokesperson Aodhán Ó Ríordáin said that the “latest debacle” raised “questions of competency for the Department of Education and whether it is fit for purpose and capable to safely steer schools through the Covid crisis”.
“We need to know who knew what and when, if the Minister was aware of the scale of the problem before today and if so, why she failed to inform the Dáil,” Ó Ríordáin said.
“We also need an explanation as to why the Department’s internal controls managed to allow so many products that ‘cannot be considered fully safe’ into our schools.”
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Jump on board Pascal…there’s votes to be won…
I’d guess that they have learnt that there is more scandal coming out in the reports and investigations that have been commissioned.
Time to lay the ground work for Callinan to be dumped over board.
His arrogance and failings in the job make it easy. To save Shatter a head may also be needed.
The Garda like people to rat on each other but treat their own who “rat” as leapers…. Strange that….
Your spot on, typical political bullshit
If this government had any integrity callinan would be fired.
Don’t forget Shatter!
Bet you ole “no balls” has full confidence in shatter and callinan.
If my aunt had balls ;-)
Past retirement age one rule for him
What hypocrisy-Whistleblower’s should be protected like gold, and those who act against them, yes Callinan yes Shatter, be removed from power.
Pascal is running with the hare and chasing with the hound. Displays a complete lack of liathrodi.
Now that a FG TD has called for this Labour feel that they can follow suit.
They are like a beaten dog, cowering behind but still following their blueshirt master.
Must be elections on the horizon
No integrity like the rest of the politicians. They preach about standing up to Bullies but they themselves are spineless. We need more whistleblowers in all areas like banking and government. It does not suit the likes of Donahue as the truth is not a very familiar place for him to operate.
so true irish people are terrified of their own shadow.
Fina Gael, Screwing the people every day.
It’s funny because you called yourself Genius! Genius.
How can these ministers praise the whistleblowers while saying they have full confidence in the Commissioner..the whole system was rotten from the top down. Hypocrisy at it’s best .
Anyone still believe this country is being run for the welfare of the Irish people? How much money has the gardai spent on riot training over the last 5 years. how much tear gas has shatter bought from his international sponsors. By taking part in elections and paying taxes we all giving these politicians the stick to beat us down. What about the GRA it is amazing how quite they have become. Just like the scandals in the church, the gardai have abused their position within our society. but could this also be a smoke screen to cover for the fact that councils are being disbanded leaving behind millions of euros of debt. councilors are retiring with golden handshakes of on average 68,000 euros. How much extra debt has the mismanagement of our councils for the past forty years added to our woes. Not even one council is in profit all will now be disbanded but what is going to happen to the debt another levy or tax the ” your elected us, you now must pay levy”. Do you know how much debt your council has racked on your behalf, maybe its a question that should be asked when the arrive at the door looking for a vote.
Leartus that started in the year 2000 the gardai training for riot situations and the gardai bought a ton of equipment and training. the gardai are well prepared for an uprising .
Choo Choo All aboard the position reversing train.
Asking Callinan to withdraw his comments is stupid and childish, and him not responding to this is comical as if it mattered. The man should be relieved of his position and his benefits just get rid of him.
Hear hear
They are all coming out of the woodwork now like rats off a sinking ship as news is being released that ‘whistleblower’ John Wilson is being treated for bowel cancer. His wife on the radio this morning is contributing his condition to the stress that he has been put under.
Garda commissioner and shatter need to be fired not resign , pronto
The poor commisioner looks like he is being hung out to dry,death by a thousand cuts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jufT3v1roaU
Radiohead – Just
Fourth single from THE BENDS (1995).
Varadkar was first out of the blocks and the rest of the cretins waited to see the public reaction before they decided what tney thought.
If Gardaí speak out publicly about the handling of the penalty points fiasco they can and most likely will be sacked. Only government appointed officers are permitted to speak to the press, not your regular uniform on the street
Did ye ever hear anything as pathetic as that Pascal Donoghue dunce being interviewed on Morning Ireland.
Is the man a complete gob***te or is he pretending ? And that’s the level we have representing us in Europe ?
No wonder they took us to the cleaners over the banks debts ……
Living the dream people, you got to be asleep to believe it.
The Garda commissioner should apologise, Not only that he should resign as he belongs to the old school of back scratchers which has always been a problem in Ireland of friends in high places .
Time for an election to clear out this lot.
You can’t withdraw what has already been said. Fool.
At least varadkar calls it as he and the rest of us uwashed see it.
All ready for tea at airports and ferry ports at the same time
Martin callinan should resign as he’s past retirement age and should apologise
They should all be beat with there own balls of shite.
have your say