Man questioned after state buildings in Dublin targeted in ramming incidents

Gates at Government Buildings, the Leinster House parliament, the president’s official residence and the Custom House were all damaged.

A van drove into several gates at Government Buildings in Dublin (Cate McCurry/PA)

Gardai are continuing to question a man after several landmark state buildings in Dublin were targeted in a series of overnight ramming incidents.

A white van was seized after damage was caused to the gates of Government Buildings; the adjacent back gate of the parliament at Leinster House; the official residence of President Michael D Higgins in Phoenix Park; and the Custom House, where the Department of Housing is located.

A man in his 40s was detained after the last of the incidents at Government Buildings/Leinster House on Merrion Street.

It is understood gardai are linking the incidents at the various city locations but have ruled out any terror-related motive.

On Merrion Street, a number of the gates were significantly damaged, including those at the Department of the Taoiseach at Government Buildings.

A gate at the Attorney General’s office was lying off its hinges on Friday morning.

The gate at the rear of Leinster House also sustained damaged.

It is understood the man was arrested near the scene of those incidents.

A damaged white van was towed away from the area at around 8.20am.

Garda commissioner Drew Harris was seen observing the damage in a Garda car driven slowly past Government Buildings shortly before 10am.

Elsewhere in the city, the gates of the president’s residence at Aras an Uachtarain were cordoned off on Friday morning after the overnight ramming incident.

Some damage was also caused at the gates of the Custom House close to the River Liffey.

Garda said: “Gardai were alerted to a single-vehicle road traffic collision on Merrion Street Upper, Dublin 2 at approximately 2.30am on Friday August 2.

“The driver of the vehicle, a male in his 40s, was arrested on suspicion of offences under the Road Traffic Act. He is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 at a Garda station in Dublin city.

“The scene remains preserved to facilitate a technical examination by the local scenes of crime unit this morning.

“Investigations are ongoing.”

They added: “Gardai are also investigating an incident of criminal damage that occurred at Dublin’s Phoenix Park in the early hours of Friday.”

In relation to the Custom House incident, gardai said: “Gardai in Store Street are investigating a material damage road traffic collision that occurred at Custom House Quay in the early hours of this morning Friday 2nd August, 2024.”