Confusion surrounds source of funds for electrical works on hot tub and sauna at Dublin Zoo

Dublin Zoo has refused to comment on who funded the electrical installation of a hot tub and sauna at the on-site home of its director during the pandemic at a time when the zoo was running Save Dublin Zoo campaign for funds to keep animals fed.   File photo: Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie

Dublin Zoo has refused to comment on who funded the electrical installation of a hot tub and sauna at the on-site home of its director during the pandemic.    

While the charity has stated that the luxury items themselves were paid for privately during 2021 by Christoph Schwitzer—who is a tenant at the zoo for the duration of his employment—there has been no clarification on who funded their installation and connection.   

The Irish Examiner understands the electrical works cost up to €5,000. There has also been no clarification around the electricity costs for the running of a hot tub and sauna, given Mr Schwitzer does not own Lakeside House, which is on the grounds of the zoo in the Phoenix Park. 

Dublin Zoo has not responded to several queries from the Irish Examiner about the funding for the connection of the hot tub and running costs.

The purchase of the goods was raised by Paul Murphy TD in the Dáil on November 22.    He queried who had paid for them as well as an extension built at Lakeside House, at a time when the charity said it was in extreme financial difficulty due to the pandemic.

“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,” he said.   “It’s not clear where the funds for those luxury items came from.”   

Since Mr Murphy raised the questions in the Dáil, the zoo has said the hot tub and sauna were paid for privately by its director.    

However, despite repeated questions submitted to Dublin Zoo by the Irish Examiner prior to the allegations being made in the Dáil, no detailed explanation has been provided on the financing of the electrical works for their installation or the running of them.    

The Irish Examiner has seen documentation dated August 21, 2021, which shows electricians H Sheils and T Connolly and Sons Ltd (TCSL), both contractors with the charity, submitted invoices to the zoo for these works.   

The document details how “chords [sic], sockets and connectors” were used to connect the hot tub and sauna at Lakeside House, and that electricians “Pulled swa (cable) to kitchen from manhole and joined in main switch room to isolator”.    

Meanwhile, the building of an extension at Lakeside House, did not require planning permission according to TCSL, which confirmed to the Irish Examiner that it carried out the works in 2021.   A spokesperson for TCSL said the extension works included “glazing, new floors, lights and fittings and was possibly in the region of around €15,000 to €20,000” but that the exact figures "were not to hand". 

The spokesperson also confirmed that the zoo “paid for the extension”.   This construction took place a year after an urgent public appeal for donations was made because the charity said it was “on the brink of closure”.    

Dublin Zoo did respond to the claims made in the Dáil in November regarding the extension at Lakeside House.   “Information on how Dublin Zoo allocates annual revenue generated from gate receipts, and the specific funds from the Save Dublin Zoo campaign, is transparently detailed in our annual reports, which are publicly accessible”.   File photo: Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie

The ‘Save Dublin Zoo’ appeal, which was launched on November 18, 2020, raised €2m in donations in 48 hours.   

In a statement, Dublin Zoo told the Irish Examiner the appeal was because  of “the negative financial impact caused by covid-19 had left Dublin Zoo on the brink of closure”.   

“Unable to generate income due to visitor restrictions and all cost-cutting measures which didn’t affect animal welfare already taken, Dublin Zoo appealed to the Irish public for help.   

“All money donated to the Save Dublin Zoo campaign was spent on animal welfare—food, heating, veterinary costs. No donations were used on staff salary or wages. Capital grant money received during this time was spent on capital works. Government money received in 2020 was spent on day-to-day operating costs.   

“Between November 2020 – December 2021 amongst the many costs incurred to keep the zoo going, Dublin Zoo used the Save the Zoo funds to pay towards €1,058,649 on animal food and €2,424,388 on animal support (light & heat, veterinarian services etc.)”.   

When the hot tub and sauna as well as the extension were raised in the Dáil in November, Dublin Zoo issued a statement that said: “The development mentioned (extension at Lakeside House) 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”.    

It continued: “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.    

Dublin Zoo director, Dr Christoph Schwitzer, who is a tenant at the zoo for the duration of his employment. File picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

“We urge them to exercise due diligence in fact-checking before making inaccurate statements in a public forum.”    

The zoo’s annual records for 2021, available on the zoo website, say: “The pandemic interrupted progress on our main capital projects, the habitats for snow leopards and red pandas and the accessible toilets.    

“Construction resumed in May, kindly supported by a capital grant from the Government of Ireland through the Office of Public Works (OPW). We were able to complete the extension to Lakeside Lodge. Dublin Zoo now has a suitable family home available for the director”.   

When the Irish Examiner asked the OPW about the purpose of the capital grants in 2021, a spokesperson said they “part-funded the previously committed capital works to provide new habitats for the Snow Leopards and Red Pandas, a Compost Facility, works to provide an assisted toilet facility and some smaller capital works.    

It continued: “The Capital Allocation Grant for 2022 funded redevelopment works to Society House, substantial repair works to African Plains visitor pathways and stand-off fencing, modification works to the Amur Tiger habitat and improvements to way finding and IT infrastructure”.    

The Examiner entered into extensive correspondence concerning the issues. This included the OPW, PR firm Teneo which represents the zoo, speaking to Mr Schwitzer following a media conference, and correspondence with the zoo’s solicitors, Mason Hayes and Curran.

The Irish Examiner also wrote to the electricians H Sheils but received no response.    Dublin Zoo did respond to the claims made in the Dáil in November regarding the extension at Lakeside House.    

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“Information on how Dublin Zoo allocates annual revenue generated from gate receipts, and the specific funds from the Save Dublin Zoo campaign, is transparently detailed in our annual reports, which are publicly accessible”.    

However, confusion remains around this statement and the online statements made in the zoo’s annual accounts for 2021.   

This newspaper has sought clarity from Dublin Zoo in relation to the funding used for the extension built at Lakeside House as well as the work involved in wiring the hot tub and sauna at the property from Dublin Zoo on several occasions, which have gone unanswered.