THE OFFICES OF Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) have been plagued by infestations of mice with staff at one stage being asked to stay at home so the pests could be dealt with.
Emails released by FSI reveal a litany of issues with rodents at their HQ in the Phoenix Park in Dublin with mouse droppings repeatedly discovered in their offices.
In an email to the Department of Justice, the forensic service said they had first noticed evidence of mice in mid-November 2021 with bait boxes filled to try and exterminate them.
Four days later – the unwelcome visitors were back with droppings found on a Friday, and again on Monday when staff returned to work after the weekend.
An email said: “Staff were asked not to attend the office on Tuesday … until pest control had been in. Pest control attended the office on the morning of the 23rd and staff were advised they could return to [their desks].”
The mice were back in February last year with droppings again discovered in administrative offices and an urgent call made to pest controllers.
Still more evidence was found after the weekend with the roving rodents having made even more extensive incursions.
An email said: “I have just had a report of suspected evidence of mice in the fingerprint admin HEO [higher executive officer] office. Facilities have been notified of this and [staff member] is going to make a follow-up call this afternoon.
“I’m not sure what else we can do at this stage.”
By March, the Director General of Forensic Science Ireland Chris Enright was hopeful the ongoing war with the mice had been won.
In an email to colleagues, he said traps had been inspected with no further evidence of rodent activity while all potential points of entry for the mice had been sealed.
His email said: “When [pest controller] checked the monitoring station beside [an electrical cabinet], there was evidence that a mouse had eaten the poison.
“He filled the opening with wire mesh and foam. He is confident that there is no other access hole in the Forensic Science Ireland areas.”
Alas, it wasn’t to be and within two hours of his email being sent, a colleague emailed to say they’d found mouse droppings “in the paper tray of [their] printer”.
Success was again hoped for in late March when pest control came to visit and declared the FSI offices “mouse free”.
“We have had no sightings of mice for at least five days,” said an email. “Could the deep clean of the office be organised now?”
However, the mice returned last June with a forensic scientist reporting a rodent in her offices.
“As per phone call,” said an email, “I wish to inform you, mice have been active this morning in an office leaving a number of droppings on the desk.”
Following the weekend, activity was again noted: “It looks like there may have been another visit … more droppings on my desk this morning!”
A later inspection found a bag of rubbish outside one area with obvious “teeth marks” with pest controllers urging care around where garbage bags were left.
An email said: “The tendency is to leave bins out in the corridor at the end of the day for the cleaners to empty. I don’t think they are emptied until the following morning.
“These bins are open and contain food residue. Maybe this is contributing to the mice problem?”
Later in June, a “near miss” was recorded in the service’s health and safety log with concerns being raised that mice might be using ivy growing on the outside of the building to gain access.
“[Pest controllers] recommended that … [it] be cut. Can this solution be implemented to try and alleviate the issue with mice? Any other solutions for this issue would be greatly appreciated,” said an email.
A spokesman said Forensic Science Ireland’s HQ was in the Phoenix Park, a location that made the presence of pests almost impossible to avoid.
He said: “A number of pest related incidences were reported throughout 2022. Whilst they were unwelcome and inconvenient, services in FSI were maintained without any disruption. No pests were found in any laboratory or evidence storage areas.”
He added that Forensic Science Ireland would be moving to a new purpose-built facility at the Backweston Science Campus in Kildare in 2023.
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