The Government has bought Farmleigh mansion and 78 acres of land on the edge of the Phoenix Park for £23 million. It will be used primarily for accommodating visiting Heads of State and other dignitaries, and for international meetings and important State functions. It will be used extensively for cultural purposes.
Describing the house as a "stunning property", the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, said the quality of the building, the uniqueness of the setting and its importance historically made it a fitting acquisition for the State as the new millennium approached.
The contents, including the library with its unique collection of Irish manuscripts, and the many works of art that adorn the house will remain on loan from the Guinness family.
The Taoiseach said the house would be put to many important uses, and he intended that it should be opened as soon as possible for the public to enjoy.
The Victorian mansion was built in Georgian style of Portland stone in 1881 for Edward Cecil Guinness, the first Earl of Iveagh.
The contract was signed in Dublin yesterday by Lord Iveagh and the Minister of State at the Office of Public Works, Mr Martin Cullen, on behalf of the Government.
Lord Iveagh said: "I believe it is important, in view of the long association between my family and the people of Ireland, that Farmleigh will be maintained in the ownership of the Irish State. As a family, we are particularly pleased that the library and most of its contents will, for the foreseeable future, remain in situ in the safe keeping of the Office of Public Works." Farmleigh has only been used on an occasional basis by the Guinness family since the death of the Earl of Iveagh, Benjamin Guinness, in 1992.
Mr Cullen said Farmleigh was an extremely important addition to the State's property portfolio. He looked forward to seeing it used both extensively and intensively for the purposes outlined by the Taoiseach.
He said the OPW's track record of property management was well known, and he believed that this was particularly evident in Dublin Castle. "I know that the same innovative management will be brought to bear in Farmleigh and I look forward to the development of a new and exciting role for Farmleigh."
The house has its main entrance from the Phoenix Park. It comprises six reception rooms, 20 bedrooms and 14 bathrooms. It has a spectacular ballroom, a fine wood-panelled library and a floor area of 40,000 square feet. The estate contains formal walled gardens, a courtyard, eight houses and two apartments.
The Government had been urged by Opposition parties to bid for the property.
Three weeks ago the Iveagh Trustees in London informed the Government of its intention to sell the house, which has been the Guinness family seat in Ireland for 130 years.