Government Buildings

Behind the imposing dome on Upper Merrion Street sit the top institutions of the Irish government. The Edwardian showpiece building today houses the Department of the Taoiseach, the Department of Finance and the Office of the Attorney General. On selected Saturdays it opens for free guided tours – the only way to see inside.

What to expect

The Edwardian Baroque complex was begun in 1904 (foundation laid under Edward VII) and opened in 1911 as the College of Science (under George V). It was the last major building project of the British administration in Ireland. In December 1990 the restored building was handed over to the Department of the Taoiseach, and it has served government purposes exclusively ever since.

The guided tour shows the state rooms you would otherwise only see on television. Highlights, according to gov.ie, include:

• the Ceremonial Staircase, with its Evie Hone stained-glass window "My Four Green Fields"
• the Italian Room and the Sycamore Room
• the Cabinet Room, where the Cabinet meets
• the Circular Corridor and the office of the Taoiseach
• the corridor to neighbouring Leinster House, plus the Beech Room and Ash Room

The rooms are furnished with paintings and portraits of major figures from Irish history. Anyone who follows Irish politics will recognise some of the settings: this is where heads of government receive their guests – Taoiseach Micheál Martin, for instance, met EU Council President António Costa at Government Buildings in December 2025.

Tickets and how it works

Tours run on selected Saturdays only, on dates the Department of the Taoiseach publishes in advance on gov.ie. There is no regular weekday access. Start times are 10:30, 11:30 and 13:00, and each tour lasts around 30 to 40 minutes.

Here's how to get a place:

• Free tickets are issued only on the day of the tour, at the Clare Street entrance of the National Gallery of Ireland – not at the Government Buildings themselves.
• The National Gallery's doors there open around 9:15. Advance or online booking is explicitly not possible.
• Places are in demand, so arrive early. Tours can be cancelled or scaled back at short notice due to government business – check gov.ie for current dates before you go.
• For security reasons, the National Gallery does not offer a cloakroom for tour visitors. It's best not to bring large bags at all.

The Department of the Taoiseach answers tour enquiries by email at [email protected]; the tourism hotline is reachable on +353 1 619 4000.

Getting there

The starting point is the National Gallery, between Clare Street and Merrion Square, just a short walk from Leinster House and the Natural History Museum.

• Luas: Green Line to Dawson Street, then about a 6-minute walk.
• DART: to Pearse Station, around 5 minutes on foot.
• Bus: Dublin Bus routes 4, 7 and 8 stop at Merrion Square North and Clare Street respectively, and the 39a at Merrion Row.
• Car and bike: metered parking on Merrion Square, with accessible parking bays at the Merrion Square entrance; Dublinbikes stations on Clare Street and at Merrion Square West.

A Leap Card is worth having both for the tour day and for getting around the wider city; for more nearby sights, see our Attractions guide.

Is it worth it?

For anyone interested in politics or architecture, the free Saturday tour is a rewarding addition to a Dublin trip – if only because this is the one way to get inside. If you only have a weekend in Dublin and are travelling on weekdays, you won't get a chance to see behind the façade, so factor the Saturday-only schedule into your planning. If your schedule is flexible, combine the visit with the neighbouring National Gallery and St Stephen's Green. For background on the city's political history, see our Dublin history guide.