A criminal investigation has begun after a video uploaded to TikTok last week showed content creators exploring the former Baggot Street Hospital.
The video, which was uploaded on Tuesday, shows two men exploring the abandoned Dublin hospital, entering several wards and rooms and coming across what appears to be folders of hospital records.
However, the Health Service Executive (HSE) has since stressed that no patient records or personal information is stored on-site.
The video shows the dilapidated interior of the building with paint peeling off the walls, exposed wires and fallen ceiling panels and light fixtures.
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Rubbish can be seen littered throughout the hallways and side rooms while what appears to be X-ray equipment is also shown.
Those who uploaded the video create content exploring abandoned buildings, primarily in Northern Ireland.
A spokeswoman for the HSE’s Community Healthcare East division said: “We understand the importance of this matter and wish to assure the public that we are taking it very seriously. Due to the fact that this is currently an active criminal investigation, we are limited in the details we can provide at this time.
“However, we want to emphasise that there were no patient records or sensitive personal information stored on site, ensuring that patient confidentiality remains uncompromised.”
The spokeswoman said that although the facility is no longer in active use, the HSE has maintained “maximum security arrangements” to safeguard the site.
“Our commitment to security and privacy extends beyond operational facilities to include all properties under our management. We are fully co-operating with An Garda Síochána as they work to resolve this matter,” she said.
Asked what security measures are in place, the spokeswoman replied: “For safety and security reasons, we are unable to disclose specific details about the security measures in place. We can assure the public that the security arrangements for the building are in full compliance with established vacant property protocols.”
The Baggot Street facility, which was known officially as the Royal City of Dublin Hospital, was built in 1832 but closed in 1987.
Parts of the premises on the Haddington Road side were used as a drug treatment and community facility until 2019.
The Irish Times reported this week that conservation architects have been engaged by the HSE to determine a future use for the building which could be as “a meeting or administration hub”.
Some campaigners have urged that the premises be used to accommodate asylum seekers or people arriving from Ukraine, while local residents and city councillors have long sought the reuse of the abandoned Victorian hospital for housing or cultural and community uses.
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