State Properties

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 November 2020

Wednesday, 18 November 2020

Questions (65)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

65. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the protocols in place to record all persons who visit the official residences at Farmleigh, Phoenix Park, Dublin 15 in either personal or professional capacities; if there are visits, engagements or interactions that are exempted from recording requirements; if so, the visits, engagements and interactions exempted; and if all logs and records of visits to the official residences at Farmleigh will be provided to date in 2020. [37165/20]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

I can confirm that all requests for the use of Steward's Lodge by the Department of An Taoiseach, for either meetings or for overnight stays, are recorded by OPW management at Farmleigh. There are no exceptions or exemptions from this recording requirement.

OPW does not keep a record of individual attendees at meetings or other visitors to the Lodge.

In regard to the 2020 log of visits I can confirm that former Taoiseach, Mr Leo Varadkar, used Steward's Lodge for the following dates:

- Meeting on 10 February

- Residential stay on 29 February

- Residential stay 30 March 2020 to 27 May

 The current Taoiseach, Mr Michael Martin has not used the lodge to date.