Irish government headquarters evacuated - Hazmat crew rushes to scene
IRELAND'S Department for Health headquarters has been evacuated.
Dublin: Emergency services arrive at Department of Health
Staff at the building in Lower Baggot Street, Dublin, were orded to leave following the discovery of a suspicious parcel. A Garda police spokeswoman said a suspicious parcel has been discovered but “no further information is available at this time”.
The suspicous package was found shortly after 1pm.
Video footage shared online shows a heavy police presence at the scene.
Dublin Fire Brigade tweeted: "Firefighters from Donnybrook and Tara St fire stations are currently attending an incident on Lower Baggot Street.
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"Our HazMat unit is attending as a precaution. Traffic restrictions in place."
A police spokeswoman said: "Gardaí are currently at the scene of an incident on Baggot Street Lower.
"A suspicious parcel was discovered in the Department of Health."
Members of the public have been urged to not approach the scene.
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A bomb disposal team arrived at the scene.
Both sides of the Baggot Street adjacent to the building remain closed.
A spokesperson for An Garda Síochána said: “Gardaí are currently at the scene of an incident on Baggot Street Lower. A suspicious parcel was discovered in the Department of Health.”
Last year the same Department of Health building was targetted by a suspicious package.
The building was evacuated after an envelope full of non-hazardous white powder arrived in the post.
At the time the Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said: “I’m not sure what kind of oddballs send suspicious packages in the post but they should be well aware that it is not politicians opening the mail, it’s people doing a normal job, a receptionist or a security guard or clerical officer or someone in the constituency team.”