Government Buildings
A working hub for the business of the state
Admission
Tours of Government Buildings are available every Saturday
Free tickets can be collected on the day from the National Gallery of Ireland, Clare Street, Dublin 2, from 10:00
Government Buildings
The imposing complex of Government Buildings on Upper Merrion Street, next door to Leinster House, was the last major public building the British constructed in Ireland. It was intended as accommodation for the Royal College of Science and various departments of the administration.
Fortuitously, it was complete by 1922. When independence dawned, the new Free State government moved in.
In more recent times, former Taoiseach Charles Haughey converted and entirely refurbished the building to form state-of-the-art accommodation for a number of departments, including the Department of the Taoiseach, the Department of Finance and the Office of the Attorney General. Despite criticism of the expenditure involved, the renovated building won awards for its architectural design when it opened in the 1990s.
There are free guided tours every Saturday, although they are subject to occasional cancellation for urgent government business.
Gallery
Opening Times
Open Saturdays Only: 10:30 – 13:30
Tours starting every hour on the half hour.
Average Length of Visit: 40 minutes
Notice
Government Buildings may close at short notice for Government Business. Please telephone in advance to avoid disappointment.
Getting Here
Beside the Merrion Square West entrance to Leinster House
Click the relevant icon below to open Maps directions
Facilities
- Exhibition
- Guided tours
- Lift
- Toilets
- Wheelchair Accessible
- Wheelchair Accessible Toilet
Restrictions
- Assistance dogs only
Nearby sites to visit
Government Buildings
St Stephen’s Green
A Victorian civic gem in Dublin’s greatest garden square
Approx. 0.4 km from Government Buildings
Iveagh Gardens
Experience a sense of wonder in Dublin’s ‘secret garden’
Approx. 0.7 km from Government Buildings
Dublin Castle
The nerve centre of historical power in Ireland
Approx. 1.0 km from Government Buildings