Dáil literally leaking as torrential rain comes…

Dáil literally leaking as torrential rain comes through roof as TDs give speeches

The roof of the Dáil Chamber at Leinster House has sprung a leak amid the severe rain and weather conditions in Dublin.

While there are often accusations of leaks in Leinster House, more literal leaks were witnessed by TDs in the Dáil on Wednesday afternoon.

TDs gathered this afternoon amid the stormy conditions outside, with flashes of lightning occasionally illuminating the room.

Heavy rain, thunder and lightning in Dublin City Centre started to affect Dáil proceedings during TDs interactions with the Taoiseach.

As one Minister was giving a speech, he noticed that the roof of the Dáil Chamber in Leinster House, Kildare Street, was leaking.

Cathal Crowe TD was on his feet speaking about trees from Co Clare that were used to make up the roof of the House of Commons in London when he spotted water dropping down from the glass dome above the chamber.

“It's pouring down on some of the front benches at the moment. I suppose I don’t have much hair left on the top of my head, but I was worried that the microphone might shock,” he said.

The leak didn’t put a halt to the speeches, though, with Crowe saying that ushers had just been coming “in and out examining it”.

The roof of the Dáil chamber is leaking… @McConnellDaniel @aoifegracemoore @LouiseByrneNews @sandra_hurley @JOEdotie @MichealLehane pic.twitter.com/Am2eAuQrhV

— Cathal Crowe T.D. (@CathalCroweTD)

Despite work being carried out in Leinster House and the Dáil Chamber in 2019, according to Crowe: “The roof seems to have been pretty strong, sturdy and waterproof.”

“It’s a pretty nasty storm but hopefully, they’ll patch this up with a bit of duct tape and get us going again,” he told Joe Duffy on RTE’s Liveline on Wednesday.

Crowe said the incident lends itself to so many puns and said: “We’ve had plenty of leaks around the Dáil, but this is the first water leak we’ve had.”

When asked who was going to get the bucket to catch the water, Crowe joked about the Tanaiste Leo Varadkar’s meal prep photos that went viral earlier this week and said: “I think Leo has gone out for [the bucket]. He’s got the Tupperware but surely he needs a bucket as well.”

Acknowledging the rain, the Taoiseach threatened to break into song.

“I can’t sing, but I’m tempted to [sing] ‘Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head’.”

The Dáil was not the only place experiencing leaks on Wednesday afternoon.

There were also leaks in the Seanad while Senators were discussing legislation.

However, some Oireachtas sources pointed out, the Seanad underwent extensive works in recent years that cost the taxpayer €18m.

The Irish Mirror also understands that there was a leak in the Oireachtas Members Bar.

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