Housing may be the number one election issue for the political parties and the public, but many politicians also have a personal interest in property with almost 25 per cent of TDs operating as landlords or owning a rental property.
According to the most recent members’ interests report, 29 of the 160 TDs elected to the Dáil in 2020 stated they were landlords or owned rental property.
A further 59 TDs declared they were landowners, with farmland or constituency offices. The most recent declaration of interests was published in February this year and covers 2023.
Independent Kerry TD Michael Healy-Rae’s annual declaration shows he is the largest property owner in the Dáil, listing 25 different entries including rental properties he owned, including houses and apartments with a number of them vacant, farmland, a service station and a B&B.
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His brother Independent TD Danny Healy-Rae listed a total of 91 acres of farmland in three locations and a house.
Former taoiseach and outgoing TD Leo Varadkar is listed as a landlord, renting an apartment in west Dublin, while Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly listed two rental properties – an apartment in Sandyford, south Dublin, and a house in Co Offaly.
Minister for Education Norma Foley has listed 50 per cent ownership in an apartment in Dublin that is rented out for part of the year and Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue owns a rental apartment in Dublin 15, while Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke’s register of interests includes farmland in Mullingar, Co Westmeath.
Minister of State Colm Burke has a commercial rental property in Cork, Minister of State Thomas Byrne has a rental property in Co Donegal, and Minister of State James Lawless rents out a property in Co Kildare.
Independent Galway East TD Sean Canney has a 50 per cent interest in four rental properties in Galway and Tuam including one building with three apartments, while Independent Cork South-West TD Michael Collins lists his property as a farmhouse and farmland in Schull.
Sinn Féin Kerry TD Pa Daly said he has a rental property in Tralee and received income for providing accommodation in his home to a Ukrainian refugee under a Government scheme while Sinn Féin Meath West TD Johnny Guirke lists a rental property in Co Galway.
Outgoing former minister Richard Bruton rents a farmhouse and land in Co Meath and also lists in his interests a house in Dublin that is the residence of a family member; retiring former minister Michael Creed has three apartments and a commercial unit let out in Macroom, Co Cork, along with two houses.
Retiring Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys lists ownership of farmland in Co Monaghan, while Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl also rents a property in Co Kildare and owns farmland.
Other TDs who declared they were landlords included Frank Feighan, Paul Kehoe, Josepha Madigan, Michael Moynihan, Robert Troy, former TD and now MEP Barry Cowen, Carol Nolan, Noel Grealish and Brian Leddin.
In the Seanad members’ interests report from February, 14 Senators have properties rented while seven declared they were landowners of either bogland, farmland and/or forestry.
In the Seanad a number of Senators also stated they were landlords or had a share in properties, including Frances Black, Michael Carrigy, Martin Conway, Mark Daly, Aidan Davitt, Timmy Dooley, Robbie Gallagher, Sean Kyne, Vincent P Martin, Rónán Mullen and Barry Ward.
Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary this week sparked a debate on the composition of the Dáil, claiming there were too many teachers as TDs. At the outset of the current Dáil in 2020, 19 TDs had backgrounds as educators.
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