Asbestos removal forces closure of Irish national theatre
Ireland’s national theatre the Abbey has been forced to close its auditorium for two months as a result of the discovery in the building of potentially deadly asbestos, Senergi (http://www.senergi.co.uk) reports. Bosses at the Dublin playhouse decided on the asbestos removal taking place between July 17 and September 15 in the interests of long-time staff safety, stressing that there was no present health risk to staff or the public.
The asbestos abatement-enforced shutdown nonetheless necessitates the relocation of the theatre’s performances of Sean O’Casey’s The Plough and the Stars to nearby OReilly Theatre at Belvedere College in Great Denmark Street, from July 26. In a statement, the Abbey Theatre confirmed that the asbestos had been discovered during an inspection of the building in January, adding that a plan of action had now been devised in conjunction with the Health and Safety Authority (HSA).
The Theatre added that it had confirmed the lack of any staff or patron “health risk whatsoever” by engaging a specialist provider of asbestos analysis to carry out “ongoing weekly air quality tests.” The statement continued: “We have opted to fully remove the asbestos for the long-term safety of our staff because theatre involves a lot of technical work and staff may be required to work in the areas where asbestos was identified.”
Other parts of the theatre – including the Abbey Box Office – will remain open for business over the summer, with patrons that have already booked The Plough and the Stars tickets set to be contacted by phone.
The Abbey Theatre stated that it had taken its steps towards asbestos removal in accordance with the advice of asbestos consultancy professionals, as well as in line with international best practice. It added that it had kept the HSA continually “involved and fully aware” of its approach. The works are being funded by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
Read more about what asbestos testing can do for your organisation and keep up with the latest asbestos-related news by visiting Senergi at http://www.senergi.co.uk.
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