Ms Clare McGrath:

Our role would have been determined in advance because it was known when Ireland was going to assume the Presidency of the European Union, particularly how, in terms of economy, it might best be undertaken. The Departments of the Taoiseach, Foreign Affairs and Trade and others were involved in determining that they wished most of the meetings held during the course of the Presidency to be hosted in State-owned properties. We would have had regard to Castletown Estate, Farmleigh Estate and, in the main, Dublin Castle in that context. We would have had substantial engagement on our facilities side with the Departments involved to determine the nature of the varying demands and requirements related to intergovernmental meetings, ECOFIN meetings, break-out meetings and those which would take place on the margins, etc. An interdepartmental group led by the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Taoiseach was put in place to oversee what was to be done. We were part of that group and responded by undertaking capital works such as those at Dublin Castle, where necessary. The facility we have would not have been able to be used to host some of the meetings. However, it is now being used to host Government and departmental meetings.