A distillery in Co Louth has moved from making gin to making hand sanitiser amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Listoke Distillery is among other alcohol manufacturers around the world now using their resources to help cover the demand alcohol-based sanitisers.
Today we were able to supply Dublin Fire Brigade with Hand Sanitizer - their base is being used for fire fighters, ambulances, AND the main Test Centre. Having this hand sanitizer will hopefully help them protect themselves and others! THANK YOU to the people on the front line!! pic.twitter.com/fEMwUyOVWt
— Listoke Distillery (@listokedistill) March 17, 2020
Bronagh Conlon, co-founder of the Listoke Distillery, spoke to Newstalk Breakfast this morning.
She said: "We're bottling and manufacturing hand sanitiser, which is being filed in at over 64% proof - you need to over 60% for the COVID-19 virus.
"The motivation was that I've previously had cancer myself, and I know a lot of people around me who are very high risk.
"I knew we could produce some for ourselves - that's what we did initially. But we thought 'OK we can do this for other people as well'... we got on to Revenue, and sorted it out."
She said the alcohol that's being used is food-grade - saying that is unusual but it's what they can use.
They're now supplying thousands of bottles to the people who need it.
Bronagh explained: "We're using a lot of juniper berries and citrus, because they have very high oil content... it's not a gel we're making, it's a liquid.
"We also add aloe vera - that makes it sort of cooler on the hands as well."
She said they're covering their costs but not a profit from selling the sanitiser.
Ten staff have been working ten hour shifts producing the sanitiser since last week, and the distillery has put limits on the amount they can sell to any one person so they can ensure anyone who wants some can get it.
Bronagh said: "We are giving the product free to people like Peter McVerry trust and local charities such as Homeless Aid and Women's Refuge.
"We're not profiteering from it - we're covering our costs, and that's what we need to be able to continue to produce."
She noted that they're hearing some "very, very sad stories" from those who really need the sanitisers.
She concluded: "At least we can do something.
"Don't get me wrong, we're not the only ones that can do this... it's just thinking outside the box."
