RTÉ has been hit by claims its Cork studio, where Maura Derrane and Dáithí Ó Sé film the Today show every day, is infested by rats.
The Irish Mirror has quoted an unnamed staffer, who has claimed rats can be heard scurrying around the building, which is located off the South Mall in Cork City Centre.
The building, which overlooks the river Lee, is regularly hit by flooding and is understood to require extensive repair work.
One staff member said: “This building has been a problem for years and now rats have got in, we presume from the river.
“You can hear them running around the place and all the women in here are afraid of their lives. It sent chills down my spine.
“We get flooded regularly and the water comes into the garage at the side of the building but so far has not reached the actual studio itself.
“All we need is for Maura to be broadcasting live and a rat running across the studio floor, it is only a matter of time before it happens.”
A management insider added: “This building has had its day. RTE is looking at selling it with a price tag of 2 million euros and moving us all into new premises. The sooner it happens the better.
“They can’t expect us to stay here with all the flooding and now the rats. We do a hell of a job broadcasting the Today Show from here every day when you consider the appalling conditions we are working in. The crowd in Dublin would not put up with it.”
In response, RTE said in a statement: “We are not aware of any such issues in Cork. There have been no such reports of activity and no such comments or reports from staff.”
