Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I believe it is a magnificent house and location. The State acquired substantial grounds in that area for an expansion of the national park. Clearly when the Deputy makes her point she looks to the expansion of Dublin over the next 20 years. The Wicklow Mountains and the environment are going to be of particular importance like the Lake District is across the water, where very substantial numbers of people travel every weekend. Hopefully they observe the country code and leave nothing behind but their footprints. The State acquired another premises belonging to the Guinness Trust a number of years ago, Farmleigh, which is used extensively for everything from the Bloom festival to the country markets. The big house is available for heads of state who might stay there. I will take the Deputy's suggestion. I am quite sure that if the State were to announce that it had acquired this fine estate there would be people saying that the money should be spent on social housing. It is always about a balance.

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