TD tells Dáil probe needed into spending on sauna and hot tub at Dublin Zoo
People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy also claimed that elephants had been drinking from a contaminated water supply in their outside habitat for nine months. File picture
The Dáil has heard that Dublin Zoo allegedly fitted a hot tub and sauna to the director's onsite accommodation during a time when it was making appeals for public donations to "keep animals fed".
People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy raised the issue during Dáil proceedings, calling for a probe into spending on the director's accommodation on the grounds of Dublin Zoo, which he said was fitted with “luxury items” during the covid-19 pandemic.
Mr Murphy said there are “very serious allegations” concerning the zoo, which also include the mistreatment of animals.
“During 2020/2021, as the zoo was begging for funds to keep animals fed, the lakeside lodge, where the director lives as a tenant, was refurbished with a hot tub, a sauna, and an extension, and the garden was landscaped.
“It’s not clear where the funds for those luxury items came from,” he said.
He said issues raised by staff at the zoo have been ignored repeatedly by outsourced HR. “It’s not clear why Dublin Zoo doesn’t have its own HR department,” he said.
Mr Murphy also claimed that elephants had been drinking from a contaminated water supply in their outside habitat for nine months while earlier this month, elephants were “inappropriately” sedated in order to make it easier to move them to Cincinnati Zoo.
Mr Murphy said the allegations go against the standards of modern zoo practice.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he did not wish to comment on the allegations.
“I haven’t seen any evidence to support them but I would encourage him to pass on any evidence he has to the relevant authorities, whether it’s the gardaí or whoever may be able to look into these matters,” he said.
Commenting, Dublin Zoo said the hot tub and sauna were private purchases and that no zoo funds were involved in their purchase.
"The development mentioned was financed by the zoo's own revenue generated in 2021 when covid restrictions had eased. The specific amenities mentioned, the hot tub and sauna, were private purchases paid for by the Zoo Director — absolutely no Dublin Zoo funds were used to purchase these," a spokesperson said.
The zoo said it "categorically refutes the unfounded assertations and allegations” made in the Dáil adding that the Save Dublin Zoo funds were exclusively allocated for food, heat and veterinary bills.
Separately, the zoo said the allegations regarding elephants are “baseless and completely void of any factual accuracy”.
“As proven by a government investigation, the elephant herd had round-the-clock access to the bull house which has fresh water feeders, with the exception of less than an hour each day when the house was cleaned and enrichment provided. The allegation regarding inappropriate sedation is patently false with no evidence to support such a serious allegation,” they said.
The spokesperson also said that issues raised by staff, which can be done anonymously, are treated with the “utmost sensitivity and seriousness” and are thoroughly investigated immediately and rectified where appropriate.
“Dublin Zoo is more than happy to engage with political representatives regarding any concerns they may have and we respectfully request political representatives contact Dublin Zoo directly to fact-check their information before making privileged comments in the Oireachtas.
“We urge them to exercise due diligence in fact-checking before making inaccurate statements in a public forum,” they said.
