The two bars in the Dáil remain closed this afternoon as the hunt for a rat continues.
The rodent was seen in both the members and visitors bar yesterday.
In a sure sign silly season is upon us the talk of the Dáil is of the rat that was first spotted in the private members' bar yesterday by Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin.
It appeared again in the visitors' bar where the rat scuttled under a couch before being chased by staff armed with a golf club.
Both bars remain closed as the hunt for the parliamentary invader continues.
It is assumed the rat came in through a hole in the floor and was possibly disturbed by renovations.
Fianna Fáil TD Darragh O'Brien has promised to bring his cat to the Dáil to chase it.
Meanwhile, other TDs have spent their time naming the rodent with Rat The Cope, Ratty McGrath and Richard Boyd BarrRAT some of the names with cross-party support.
