Sir, - I read with utter amazement about the Government's purchase of a Guinness family home for the sum of £23 million. I cannot for the life of me see the reason for it.
Firstly, the Government very stupidly announced how much it was prepared to pay, thus raising very substantially the value of the property and ensuring that the taxpayer got a very bad deal. Secondly, what has the State achieved by this? Does anyone seriously believe that Mr or Mrs Taxpayer will ever see the inside of Farmleigh?
I'm afraid I have to wonder about the motivation for the purchase as I do recall on numerous occasions various country houses have been offered to the State, only for the government of the day to refuse the offer. Need I mention that the Government was pleaded with on many occasions to purchase Carton House, the home of the FitzGerald family? Carton has the last remaining fully intact parkland in the country and the house itself is exceptionally important, both architecturally and in the history of the country as the home of Lord Edward FitzGerald.
At least by purchasing Carton the Government would have done the State some service by saving a very important house as well as giving some benefit to the taxpayer by granting access to the demesne.
With Farmleigh, the Government has bought a house that is of little significance either in terms either of its history or archtiecture and which will contribute nothing to the State. I'm sure as Bertie enjoys his pint looking out at the sprawling estates of Dublin he will feel pleased with a good day's work. No wonder Lord Iveagh had such a grin on his face. - Yours, etc., Desmond Fitzgerald
Brookville Park, Malahide Road, Dublin 5.