GARDAÍ HAVE said they will continue to examine CCTV footage in an effort to track down two men who were seen entering a manhole near the gates of Dublin Castle on Friday night.
The men were seen lifting the cover of the manhole, placing a ladder inside it and climbing down shortly before 10pm at Little Ship Street outside the castle. Gardaí were called and preserved the scene, said a Garda spokesman.
A Garda sub-aqua unit, with the assistance of the drainage department in Dublin City Council, continued to search the sewers under the castle and the surrounding area on Saturday. The search was called off at 6.30pm that day after no trace of the men was found.
The manhole through which they entered the sewerage system sits over a long surface-water drain that runs from Mount Jerome cemetery in Harold’s Cross to the Liffey. At about 6ft by 4ft, the drain is big enough to accommodate the men and would allow them to access other parts of the drainage system.
A spokeswoman for the city council said its drainage department would continue to give the Garda whatever assistance was required, including sealing off manholes if necessary.
No break-ins to buildings in the area have been reported, said gardaí. However, there are several important buildings in the area including City Hall and Dublin Castle. Within the castle are the Garda traffic offices, the Treasury Building, Revenue Commissioners’ offices, Chester Beatty Library, Garda Museum, Revenue Museum and State Apartments.
The tunnels are checked whenever an important dignitary visits and before any major event at Dublin Castle.
