A “wild animal” broke into Leinster House and wreaked havoc in a storeroom after decapitating a large bird on the lawn outside the Dáil last year, internal correspondence has revealed.
An official at the Houses of the Oireachtas found toilet supplies had been destroyed in the room, and reported that the damage had likely been caused by a “wild animal” that had gained access through an adjacent yard.
Pest controllers were called to investigate the incident, and established that the animal had probably accessed the storeroom through gaps around a pipe leading from an area known as Fisheries Yard.
After inspecting the storeroom, the pest controllers concluded that the damage caused was inconsistent with a “common rodent infestation”, and believed that the intruder was more likely a red fox.
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The break-in on October 8th followed a number of reported incidents involving foxes on Leinster Lawn, which is located on the Merrion Square side of Leinster House.
On one occasion, a senior official found a decapitated bird on the lawn, as well as what appeared to be some entrails and feathers scattered over a large area. They shared photographs of their find with some colleagues.
The official remarked that he had seen a fox in the same location earlier that week, and had been informed of further sightings. He asked if the Office of Public Works (OPW) could do something to “deter” the animals.
He sought a “combination of measures” from the State agency for this purpose but there is no further correspondence indicating what, if any, steps were taken to prevent foxes from frequenting the area.
Records obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show that pest controllers reported that “specific physical indicators” in the storeroom at Leinster House suggested that the animal responsible was a red fox. They said the intruder had likely gained entry “thought an unsealed structural gap around utility piping”.
“Given the ongoing external fox activity observed near the facility, the immediate priority is to implement wildlife exclusion measures,” they added. “We strongly recommend that all structural gaps around utility penetrations leading into the storage room be immediately sealed with durable, chew-resistant materials to prevent further entry and mitigate continued damage to stored stock.”
It was not the first time that a fox let itself into Government Buildings. In 2022, it was reported that one of the cunning animals had gained entry and urinated “all over an office” in the Department of An Taoiseach. Staff at nearby Leinster House were warned at the time to ensure that all windows were properly shut to prevent any similar incursions by foxes.
