Should a Taoiseach have an official residence?

Victor

Given the debacle of Celia inviting people to meet the Cardinal at the reception in Dublin Castle a while back, should a Taoiseach have an official residence for holding such functions?

While I understand we live in complicated times, surely only the public official (in this case the Taoseach) or "the government" (or whoever) should do the inviting. In days that are trying to be egalitarian, invitations should not have to consider whether someone's relationship is on or off, whether they are single, married, widowed or whatever. Having the reception in the person's home, as opposed to an official bulding, would obviate a lot of the issues.

Having the residence as part of or in the vicinity of the Oireachtas / Government Building would also make the commute a bit easier (we all know Bertie hates the extra 15 minutes it takes to get to Baldonnel in the morning).

The Lord Mayor of Dublin has the Mansion House, the President ahs Aras an Uachtarán. Should a Taoiseach have an official residence also?

Paddy20

Obviously, Yes. Which is how I voted. Something similar to number 10 which has a private residence attached would IMHO be logical and of benefit to our Government parties, the State, official functions, etc, etc.

Amazed that it has not happened already?..

P.

gollem_1975

Given the debacle of Celia inviting people to meet the Cardinal at the reception in Dublin Castle a while back, should a Taoiseach have an official residence for holding such functions?

isn't use of the term 'debacle' a slight over-reaction here ?

I can imagine the press having a field day if Bertie was to suggest that he was to have a residence of his own .. first a jet and now his own palace in Dublin2

I think that the state can make do with the likes of farmleigh,dublin castle , RHK, aras rather than having to invest in another venue.

Sand

No, pointless expenditure. What about the children, what about the children and all that.

KoNiT

No, pointless expenditure <---- correct I'm paying enough tax which is controlled by too many effing cooks

Get in RTE's diy program & patch up a few rooms in the Oireachtas. cut down on travelling expenses.. :rolleyes:

skipn_easy

Yes, as our beloved taoiseach he should have a 'modest' official residence. Its only right that he would have somewhere decent and his own to invite people to. For large parties and such one of the existing buildings should be used.

Sundy

when we get a proper Taoiseach that has the countries best interest at heart that maybe we should reward him with one Sim City style!

PH01

To fit in how they do things internationally, then yes we should have an official residence for the Taoiseach.

But on the other hand, Irish politicians have the reputation (for better or worse) of being very approachable. A T residence would take away from this I feel.

Anyway don't we have Farmleigh House?

Sleipnir

we do have Farmleigh for official functions etc. This could bedesignated as his official residence, but he wouldn't actually live there.

mike65

Yes the States political leader should have an official residence,
I can only assume the reason there is'nt one is cos most Taoiseachs have been Dubs! ( I think...)

Something modest though....

Mike.

MDR

have been Dubs! ( I think...)

See Here

All I can say is thank f**k we (the Dubs) didn't produce deValera or Haughey

Victor

I wonder if the developers who bought Abbeville would offer it to the state

Originally posted by MDR
have been Dubs! ( I think...) See Here All I can say is thank f**k we (the Dubs) didn't produce deValera or Haughey

And Reynolds and Lynch. Maybe they were all after the expenses?

Interesting comparision (from link above):

Albert Reynolds
He retired as Taoiseach in December 1994.

After a debacle where he lost the support of his own cabinet for failing to have a child abuser extradited.

John Bruton
He was voted out of office on 31 January 2001.

As are many political leaders.

Cork

There is an interesting article in this mornings "Irish Examiner" that CJH opposed the idea of a Taoiseach's Officilas Residence as a waste of money.

It would be a waste of public resources. We have Farmleigh for receptions. I think that it is adequate.

Even when the government purchased Farmleigh - critics came out in force.

Could you imagine the media circus - if a government floated the idea of a taoiseachs residence?

But, In reality it is not needed.

Victor

So do we continue to pay for security upgrades to politicians private residences? Continue to provide escorts for them on their way to work?

Why not give them one of the existing buildings that the OPW owns already?

Cork

Originally posted by Victor
So do we continue to pay for security upgrades to politicians private residences? Continue to provide escorts for them on their way to work?

Why not give them one of the existing buildings that the OPW owns already?

Say, the next taoiseach post Bertie is from Cork.

His family wish to remain living in Cork. Should there be a number of Taoiseach's residences across the country?

The President has a residence - it goes with the job as the President meets many groups.

But the Taoiseach would spend most of his working days in Government buildings. CJH even got criticised for government buildings - what Taoiseach will suggest an official residence?

Paddy20

Cork,

Who is asking the Taoiseachs opinion. This is the peoples forum, and generally any wise elected pepresentative of the people pays very close attention to public opinion?..imho.

P.;)

Cork

Some people are aganist the re-development of O Connell St on cost grounds. The provision of a dwelling for a Taoiseach would probably cause outrage on cost grounds.

Then on a practical note - what if a future Taoiseach does not want to live there? Are we to make it a requirement of office??

How big would this residence have to be? I persume some place like the White House of Abbeyville.

Ryle Dywer had an article in todays "Irish Examiner" about CJH using Abbeyville for meetings. CJH opposed a Taoiseachs residence on cost grounds.

I agree that cost would be great when there is Dublin Castle & Farmleigh.

Have we forgot all the moaning when the government decided to purchase a jet?

They later decided not to. (resoures being very limited)

Paddy20

Any politician who runs for public office is supposed to be putting the needs of his country and its citizens before his own.

Therefore, if a politician is elected Taoiseach, and we the people of Ireland wish someone in this the highest goverment office to reside in an official residence, as is the norm in a lot of true democracies. then I do not see that they would have a lot of choice in the matter. Bearing in mind that there is, and should be a lot of differance between an official residence for his/her term of office, and their own private home.

It imho, boils down in the end as to whether we are prepared face up to the fact that our Taoiseach is our number one elected representative and if no official residence is available in which too greet foreign dignatories and hold various important meetings etc, etc,. Then the importance and respect and basic dignity of the office of Taoiseach is seriously diminished as a whole.

At present the cost of turning the private homes of every new Taoiseach in to a fortress is an extremely costly procedure. Which could in the main be avoided by providing one official residence worthy of the office and responsibilities it carries.

Just my 2cs worth.

P.

bloggs

Do you mean that Bertie 'i love the people of Ireland, because im such a man of the people' Ahern doesn't live in a corpo flat like all this voters?

bloggs

Bertie, like his corrupt friend CJH is no doubt hording cash away in some foreign bank account, and to give this scumbag any more luxaries would be an insult to the Irish people.

canker

No need for a residence, not as if he is head of state, the presi has a nice big fancy house in the park for pointless functions.

And a toiseach from cork? Are you joking? we are allready laughed at on the world stage, no point making it worse.

Paddy20

canker & bloggs,

I think you are both missing the point. The official residence is more important than the temporary resident!. Is Tony Blair more important than the history attached to number 10 in London?.. which attracts a lot of touists simply because it is a building with real drama permeating through its very bricks.

By the way, as far as I know our Taoiseach has a lot more responsibility than our President during his/her term of office?..

P.

Duffman

Originally posted by canker
No need for a residence, not as if he is head of state, the presi has a nice big fancy house in the park for pointless functions.

And a toiseach from cork? Are you joking? we are allready laughed at on the world stage, no point making it worse.

Ah now come on, you can't honestly grudge Mary the Aras?

The idea of a residence is a good one but I don't think we have the funds for it at the moment... I'm not very familiar with Farmleigh but couldn't he live there?

Cork

I don't begrudge Mary McAlease the Aras. She is Head Of State and uses the Aras for many meetings with many groups throughout this country.

The Taoiseach has most of his meetings at Government Buildings. Buildings that were also begrudged. We have Farmleigh House & Dublin castle. I feel that an official residence would probably end up as a glorified B&B for the Taoiseach.

What probably would be a better idea would bethe idea of a residence outside Dublin - some place like Chequers or Camp david.

It could be used as a County Residence for the Taoiseach - to get out of the city.

Government meetings are often held outside Dublin so I think that this would be a better option.