Dublin Zoo has said a hot tub and sauna that were added to the zoo director's private living quarters were private purchases paid for by the director, following claims heard in the Dáil today about alleged mismanagement of funds at the zoo.
In a statement, Dublin Zoo said that no funds from the zoo were used to make the purchases, which the Dáil heard were made during the pandemic.
People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy told the Dáil that the hot tub and sauna were added to the site when the zoo was appealing for public donations to "keep animals fed".
He detailed allegations of the "mismanagement of funds, for which there has been no independent investigation".
"It's not clear where the funds for those luxury items came from," he added, noting that "the garden was landscaped".
"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," Mr Murphy said during Taoiseach's Questions.
Dublin Zoo rejected the claims about alleged mismanagement of funds.
Mr Murphy also noted "very serious allegations" around the treatment of animals, and "a whole series of allegations" about "a culture of bullying and mistreatment of staff".
"HR has been outsourced" to a company "which has effectively ignored the issues raised by staff," he said.
"Elephants bulls were left without access to fresh drinking water while in their outside habitat for nine months," he said, after the herd was "divided into two" in October 2022.
"They had been using a contaminated water supply," he added.
Mr Murphy also claimed that "in early November this year, the elephants were inappropriately sedated, given a powerful sedative, in order to move them to Cincinnati Zoo to make them easier to manage".
Dublin Zoo has denied the allegations, saying that it "categorically refutes the unfounded assertations and allegations".
In a statement, the zoo said: "Save Dublin Zoo funds were exclusively allocated for animal welfare only - food, heat and veterinary bills. The development mentioned was financed by the Zoo's own revenue generated in 2021 when Covid restrictions had eased. The specific amenities mentioned were private purchases.
"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."
Dublin Zoo said that the allegations in relation to the elephants were "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."
In its statement, Dublin Zoo also said that any issues raised by members of staff are treated with "utmost sensitivity and seriousness and are thoroughly investigated".
Earlier, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that he was not aware of Mr Murphy's allegations, and had not 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.
