Gardaí have released without charge a 40-year-old man arrested on Sunday afternoon in connection with an arson attack on the Health Service Executive (HSE) headquarters at Victoria Cross in Cork.
Witnesses reported seeing a man pushing an unidentified object through the letterbox of the HSE building shortly after 11pm on Saturday.
Following a review of CCTV a man living rough locally was arrested. He was taken to Togher Garda station for questioning where he was subsequently released without charge shortly before midnight on Sunday. A file is to be sent to the Director of Public Prosecution in relation to the matter.
The fire caused substantial damage to the building and four units of the Fire Brigade were called to the scene to contain the blaze. Firefighters brought the fire under control within 20 minutes of their arrival.
However, the reception area was completely destroyed and the entrance to the building was extensively damaged. The power supply was also cut off to the building.
The 190 HSE employees returned to work as normal yesterday morning but they worked at an alternative site. Jobs interviews scheduled at the HSE were yesterday being relocated or rescheduled.
Up to 70 per cent of the complex also suffered soot and smoke damage. Cleaning and repair work got under way at the HSE offices yesterday. The blaze caused an estimated €100,000 worth of damage to the four-storey building.
Anyone with information about the fire is asked to contact gardaí in Bishopstown, Cork on (021) 4541012.