The owners of Powerscourt Estate in County Wicklow have announced they are seeking legal advice to determine if they can block an upcoming conference organized by billionaire Peter Thiel. The event, run by the secretive organization “Dialog,” is scheduled to take place in August at the Powerscourt Hotel and Spa.
According to a statement released by the estate on Friday, management was unaware of the nature of the event until recent media coverage. While the estate expressed a desire to cancel the booking, they noted that they are currently bound by a long-standing lease agreement with MHL Hotels. The estate stated: “If it was within their remit they would cancel the event planned. However, as they have a legally binding lease with MHL Hotels this is not possible.”
The controversy stems from the nature of the “Dialog” organization and its high-profile, controversial membership. Leaked documents obtained by Wired indicate that the attendee list includes figures such as Jared Kushner, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Senator Ted Cruz. The conference agenda reportedly features sessions with titles such as “Navigating WWIII” and “Bring Back Nuclear.”
Peter Thiel, a co-founder of PayPal and Palantir Technologies, has faced significant criticism from Irish political figures. Sinn Féin TD John Brady has publicly called for the event to be blocked, citing Palantir’s work with the Israeli Defence Forces and allegations regarding the firm’s role in providing AI infrastructure for military operations in Gaza.