Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 208: To ask the Minister for Finance the purpose the Steward's House at Farmleigh is used for; if it is used by An Taoiseach; if An Taoiseach has stayed there overnight; if so, the number of occasions; the annual cost to the Exchequer of maintaining this residence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46962/08]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 209: To ask the Minister for Finance the purpose for which An Taoiseach's State residence is being used for; the annual cost to the Exchequer of maintaining this residence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46963/08]

Martin Mansergh (Tipperary South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 208 and 209 together.

The Steward's House is an integral part of the Farmleigh Estate, and it was included as part of the purchase of Farmleigh by the State in 1999. The Steward's House was refurbished to provide additional guest accommodation as part of the overall Farmleigh complex, but separate from the main house.

As part of the Farmleigh Estate, it is available for official use. Since it became available for use, one group of 3 guests, the EU Commissioner for Agriculture and two others, were accommodated in the Steward's House for 2 days and 2 nights. It has been used by the Taoiseach for a small number of informal meetings over recent weeks. The Taoiseach has also stayed overnight on 5 occasions when official duties prevented his return to his residence. The question of the basis on which such use might arise in the future is currently under consideration.

Since the Steward's House has only recently been refurbished and renovated, the annual maintenance costs for the House are minimal.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 210: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of times the Farmleigh estate has been used for each of the years 2006, 2007 and to date in 2008; the number of nights the residence has been occupied by foreign dignitaries or other individuals for each of the years 2006, 2007 and to date in 2008; the annual cost to the Exchequer of maintaining this residence for each of the years 2006, 2007 and to date in 2008; the budgeted cost for 2008 and 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46964/08]

Martin Mansergh (Tipperary South, Fianna Fail)
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The information sought by the Deputy in relation to usage of Farmleigh and the annual running costs of Farmleigh in each of the years 2006, 2007 and 2008 is given in the following tables. In addition to the cost of running Farmleigh as the premier guest facility for visiting Heads of State, the expenditure in each year supported significant other activity at Farmleigh in relation to its use as a venue for high level meetings, and also the very successful public access and event programme. Details of these other activities are given in the following tables also.