Steward's Lodge

The Steward's Lodge is a house which was originally part of the Farmleigh estate, alongside the Phoenix Park in Dublin. It is sometimes used as a residence by the Taoiseach of Ireland.

History

Origins

The Steward's Lodge was originally built in the grounds of Farmleigh house – an 18th-century estate which was formerly owned by members of the Guinness family.<ref name=cowen>Template:Cite news</ref> Originally accessible within the grounds of the estate, the lodge was subsequently separated from Farmleigh during refurbishment works.<ref name=cowen/>

Taoiseach's residence

There is no official residence of the Taoiseach, with each Taoiseach residing in either their own homes, or in an apartment in Dublin. In the 1970s, plans were made to turn the former Apostolic Nunciature (formerly the Under Secretary's Lodge) in the Phoenix Park into an official residence. However, the plans fell through and the Georgian building was subsequently demolished.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2006, it was announced by the Office of Public Works that the Steward's Lodge had been renovated, at a cost of nearly €600,000.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It was speculated that the house would become the official private residence of the Taoiseach after the 2007 general election, and any official engagements would be carried out in the nearby Farmleigh or Government Buildings.<ref name="IT28Dec2005">Template:Cite news</ref>

There was political sensitivity at government level about the project, with some concerned that it could be depicted as a lavish "perk" for the Taoiseach. In 2005, a spokeswoman for Bertie Ahern stated he had no interest in using it, and he remained resident in his private home in Drumcondra in Dublin.<ref name="IT28Dec2005"/> In 2008, it was reported that Brian Cowen might use it as his official residence.<ref name=cowen/> Media reports suggest that Garda concerns for the Taoiseach's security precluded him from continuing to reside in his own Dublin home in the city centre.<ref name=cowen/> Cowen did not formally reside in the Steward's Lodge, preferring to return to his family home in County Offaly, but he did use it "from time to time".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2011, it was reported that the then Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, would make use of the residence, however he used it very rarely.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="rte2019">Template:Cite web</ref> Former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar resided in his private apartment in Castleknock,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> but used the Lodge for occasional parties at his own expense.<ref name="rte2019"/> During the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland it was used as a residence by Varadkar due to its teleconferencing facilities.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In July 2024, it was reported that government security advisors were insisting that the Taoiseach and his family move into Steward's Lodge for their security, following a number of anti-immigration disturbances and an increase in the number of attacks on politicians internationally.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

External links

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