Editing Áras an Uachtaráin (section)

===Residence of the President===
[[File:Barack Obama at Áras an Uachtaráin.jpg|thumb|left|President [[Mary McAleese|McAleese]] greets US President [[Barack Obama|Obama]] and First Lady [[Michelle Obama]] at Áras an Uachtaráin on 23 May 2011.]]
The house was left empty until 1938, when the first [[President of Ireland]], [[Douglas Hyde]], lived there temporarily while plans were made to build a new presidential palace on the grounds. The outbreak of the [[Second World War]] saved the building, which had been renamed ''Áras an Uachtaráin'' (meaning house or residence of the president in Irish), from demolition, as plans for its demolition and the design of a new residence were put on hold.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2018/1023/1006054-7-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-aras-an-uachtarain/|title=7 things you probably didn't know about Áras an Uachtaráin|work=[[RTÉ News]]|date=23 October 2018|access-date=23 October 2020|archive-date=27 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027035629/https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2018/1023/1006054-7-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-aras-an-uachtarain/|url-status=live}}</ref> By 1945 it had become too closely identified with the presidency of Ireland to be demolished, though its poor condition meant that extensive demolition and rebuilding of parts of the building were necessary, notably the kitchens, servants' quarters and chapel. Since then, further restoration work has been carried out from time to time.

President Hyde lived in the residential quarters on the first floor of the main building. Later presidents moved to the new residential wing attached to the main house that had been built on for the visit of King George V in 1911. However, in 1990 [[Mary Robinson]] moved back to the older main building. Her successor, [[Mary McAleese]], lived in the 1911 wing.

Compared to other European royal and presidential palaces, Áras an Uachtaráin has only a handful of staterooms: the state drawing room, large and small dining rooms, the President's Office and Library, a large ballroom and a presidential corridor lined with the busts of past presidents (Francini Corridor), and some fine eighteenth and nineteenth century bedrooms above, all in the main building.

All [[Taoiseach|taoisigh]] as well as [[government minister]]s receive their seal of office from the president at Áras an Uachtaráin as do judges, the [[Attorney General of Ireland|attorney general]], the [[Comptroller and Auditor General (Ireland)|comptroller and auditor general]], and senior [[Officer (armed forces)|commissioned officers]] of the [[Defence Forces (Ireland)|Defence Forces]]. It is also the venue for the meetings of the [[Presidential Commission (Ireland)|Presidential Commission]] and the [[Council of State (Ireland)|Council of State]].

Áras an Uachtaráin also houses the headquarters of the [[Garda Mounted Unit]].

The [[Office of Public Works]] completely furnishes the private quarters of Áras an Uachtaráin for the presidential family.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/mammoth-task-of-moving-out-done-in-military-style-2930914.html|title=Mammoth task of moving out done in military style|work=[[Irish Independent]]|access-date=10 November 2011|date=10 November 2011|archive-date=11 November 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111111235700/http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/mammoth-task-of-moving-out-done-in-military-style-2930914.html|url-status=live}}</ref>