Farmleigh was opened in 2001 after the Government spent €52 million on its purchase and a two-year refurbishment.
Running to 40,000 sq ft, the Victorian property is set in 79 acres of grounds at the north-west corner of the Phoenix Park. For more than a century the house was the residence of the Earls of Iveagh, the senior branch of the Guinness family.
Its purchase by the State was to ensure its preservation and provide accommodation and facilities for visiting dignitaries, as well as acting as a venue for important Government meetings. The Government held weekly Cabinet breakfast meetings at Farmleigh for the six-month duration of the EU presidency.
In a statement this weekend, the Office of Public Works said during the six months of the presidency, there were 108 high-level events held there.
These included attracted over 5,311 delegates. On May 1st, over 250 delegates and around 800 media representatives attended celebrations at Farmleigh to mark the enlargement of the EU.