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RECEPTION FOR MEMBERS OF THE HOUSES OF THE OIREACHTAS 19 DECEMBER, 1996

RECEPTION FOR MEMBERS OF THE HOUSES OF THE OIREACHTAS 19 DECEMBER, 1996

Very pleased to welcome members of the Dáil and Seanad and of the European Parliament to Áras an Uachtaráin.

- I am particularly conscious of the special relationship between the Presidency office and the other two components of the Oireachtas and I had the privilege of addressing both Houses on two separate occasions.

- As a way of giving recognition to that special relationship I have made it a practice to host a reception for members during the lifetime of each Dáil. I welcomed members here in March 1991 and I thought I had better hurry up if I was to have a reception during the 27th Dáil

- On this occasion also I would like to introduce a new Visitor Centre which will be brought into general use in Áras early next year. Each year about 15,000 visitors come to this house, some for official engagements but many to see the House itself. The Visitor Centre is intended to give them more information about the House, its history, its occupants and about the Presidency.

- It is located in the basement underneath this room and I hope that you will have a chance during this reception to walk through it. I am afraid that it is not designed to accommodate groups this size (more for groups of under 50) so it will not be possible to structure your viewing as for visiting groups. Despite those limitations I hope that you will get a sense of what it is about.

- Finally I would like to take this opportunity of extending every good wish for Christmas and New Year.