Farmleigh hosting more VIPs and members of public

The State mansion Farmleigh was used to accommodate seven visiting heads of state and dignitaries last year, the largest number since it opened in 2001.

It was also the busiest year for visits from members of the public. More than 500,000 people have now visited the 78-acre estate in the Phoenix Park in Dublin since it opened to the public.

The first head of state to stay in Farmleigh last year was the prime minister of Croatia, Dr Ivo Sander, who visited in early March. The president of Croatia, Stjepan Music, stayed at the house in April, while the Australian prime minister, John Howard, and his wife, Janet, were guests in May.

The New Zealand governor general, Silvia Cartwright, stayed at the house in late May and early June.

In September, King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway were guests at the house. They were followed in November by the president of the EU parliament, Josep Borrell.

The last dignitary to stay in the house in 2006 was the president of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, and his wife, Suzanne, in early December.

Farmleigh also hosted Cabinet meetings and Government meetings with the British prime minister, Tony Blair.

One of the main reasons cited by the Government for buying the former Guinness estate was that it would be an official State guest house for visiting heads of State and dignitaries. However, the Government came in for criticism when it emerged that just one VIP, Kofi Annan, had stayed at the house in 2004.

Despite the lack of guests, 2004 was a busy year at the house as Ireland was hosting the EU presidency, while more than 200 Government events and planning meetings were held at Farmleigh. There were three visits by heads of State or dignitaries in 2005.

An OPW spokesman said final visiting figures for 2006 were not available yet, but he expected that there would be a significant increase in numbers.