US to spend $700M on new embassy in Ireland, breaks ground on new embassy in Saudi Arabia

By MATTHEW LEE
AP Diplomatic Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is planning to construct a new U.S. embassy in Ireland. The State Department has notified Congress of its intent to spend nearly $700 million to buy the former Jury’s Hotel in Dublin for $171 million, demolish it and construct new buildings. Associated costs will bring the total to $688.8 million, according to a notice sent to Congress on Monday. The State Department also announced that it had broken ground on a new embassy complex in Saudi Arabia as part of a $1 billion revamp of its diplomatic facilities in the Gulf country.