The entrances to Government Buildings and Leinster House have been sealed off this morning after a suspected ramming attack on three gates on the Merrion Square side of the complex.
Separately, the entrance to Áras an Uachtaráin is also closed this morning after an incident of criminal damage.
The gates, located at the entrance to the Department of the Taoiseach on Merrion Street; an entrance beside the Attorney General’s office; and the Merrion Lawn entrance to Leinster House are suspected to have been rammed by a van at around 2:30am on Friday morning.
Photographs on social media showed a damaged white van parked at the scene, which was subsequently removed by gardaí.
“Gardaí were alerted to a single-vehicle road traffic collision on Merrion Street Upper, Dublin 2 at approximately 2:30am on Friday 2nd August 2024, ” a spokesman for the gardaí told Gript in response to queries.
“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 for a technical examination this morning.
Gardaí are also understood to be investigating an incident of criminal damage that occurred at the main entrance to Áras an Uachtaráin after an incident of criminal damage overnight.
Gardaí are currently carrying out a technical examination at the scene, which has been sealed off.
RTÉ reports that a third incident is also understood to have occurred at the Department of Housing building on Customs House Quay overnight.
More details to follow.