The historic Westport House and Estate in County Mayo has been put on the market for €10m.

Owners the Browne family, who have lived there since the 17th century, said they had been left with no option but to sell the 455-acre site under a High Court administrator's advice.

It had been hoped that Mayo County Council could secure funds to purchase the building and lands through NAMA. However, that has now fallen through.

In a statement the family said the business would be open and operational for this season.

In October last year, Westport House was left out of a sale from Nama's loan portfolio.

According to reports, the Government intervened to ensure the stately home in the Taoiseach's Mayo constituency was not included in a bundle of properties code-named Project Arrow.

At the time, Minister for Tourism Michael Ring said he believed that Mayo County Council would want to buy the debt in order to keep Westport House, a local tourist attraction, in public ownership.