The Green Party has called for a moratorium on all State funding for Dublin Zoo, and a halt to work on the £15 million development plan, following the shooting dead of a rhino last week and an outbreak of botulism which killed a snow leopard some weeks ago.
Mr Gerry Boland said these incidents raised serious questions about basic management and welfare practices at the zoo.
In a statement the zoo said it had shot the rhino to prevent injury to staff and the public, when it was being moved to England last Thursday.
Mr Boland said the public would have expected that Dublin Zoo had the expertise to move any animal in its care, and what had happened was nothing short of alarming.