Virgin Media kept Ireland AM live on air and didn't evacuate studio after receiving bomb threat

VIRGIN MEDIA TELEVISION’S live recording of Ireland AM remained on air this morning and the broadcaster did not evacuate its south Dublin premises after receiving a bomb threat by email.

The threat came as buildings used by RTÉ, Newstalk, Today FM and the Irish Independent were evacuated following the receipt of a threatening email, with several radio stations temporarily interrupted.

In a statement to The Journal, Virgin Media Television said it had received “a security threat email that was widely circulated to multiple European media platforms”.

“We followed our well established security protocols and continue to liaise with An Garda Síochána,” the statement said.

“We remained on air throughout and no evacuation took place.”

Ireland AM aired until 10am this morning, meaning the threat arrived during the programme’s live broadcast from Virgin Media’s studio in Ballymount.

Elsewhere, RTÉ Radio 1 temporarily replaced its regular programming with music following the evacuation of buildings at its Montrose campus in Donnybrook.

David McCullagh subsequently resumed broadcasting from RTÉ’s mobile Roadcaster studio on the broadcaster’s Donnybrook headquarters.

RTÉ's mobile roadcaster. The Journal

RTÉ’s television news is expected to return later this afternoon, as gardaí remain at the scene.

Newstalk’s Claire Byrne Show also returned to air after staff were allowed back into Marconi House, which houses Newstalk and Today FM.

Gardaí said they were aware of threats against media organisations in Ireland.

“An Garda Síochána has been liaising with the Irish media organisations and the threats will be investigated,” a garda spokesperson said.

In a statement, the government said it remained unknown who was responsible, but that “it seems likely that this is a coordinated campaign of disruption”.

The incidents follow a series of hoax bomb threats against European airlines this week, including an Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to Rome that was diverted to a French military air base on Thursday.