The Republic of Ireland has two Houses of Parliament: The lower house is called
the Dáil while the upper house is called the Seanad.
The Dáil sits for 90 days during the year. There are no tours on Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday when the Dáil is in session although access to
the visitors' gallery is available most of the time. When the Dáil is
not in session, tours are available everyday.
Leinster House on Kildare Street is home to the two Houses of Parliament. Designed
by Richard Castle and built in 1745, the building is said to have inspired the
Georgian design which dominated Dublin for over 100 years. The building faces
onto two streets: the side facing Kildare St. has the design of a town house
while the side facing Merrion Square has the design of a country house.
Tours of the Government Buildings on Merrion Street Upper are available on Saturdays
only from 10:30 am to 3:30 pm with each one lasting 40 minutes. The tour includes
a visit to the Taoiseach's office - the room where all cabinet meetings take
place.
If you would like more information on Ireland, on our suggested Irish
self drive or Escorted
vacations please contact one of our Ireland based Guides who can
provide you with a free
quote.
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