Register shows 20pc of TDs are landlords or invest in property
ONE in five TDs and ministers are landlords or owners of investment properties, according to the new Dáil register of declared interests published yesterday.
The register shows 30 members of Leinster House declare such property interests.
It includes five ministers and junior ministers and some list holiday homes among their interests.
Kerry TD Michael Healy-Rae had the highest number of properties declared.
Mr Healy-Rae listed 18 items in the land and property category, including 10 described as “for letting purposes”.
Tánaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney describes his occupation as “landlord” in the document. He owns a property in Rochestown, Co Cork, used for “letting”.
Agriculture Minister Michael Creed is listed as the landlord of three properties in Macroom. He has also declared ownership of a holiday home in Glenbeigh, Co Kerry. Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan listed himself as a “property owner”, including details of a holiday cottage in Sligo used for “part-time holiday letting”.
Junior Defence Minister Paul Kehoe lists “landlord” among his occupations and declares three apartments, two in Wexford and one in Dublin that are leased out. Minister John Paul Phelan lists “landlord” among his occupations and one property in Dublin.
Junior Health Minister Jim Daly lists his occupation as “landlord” and declared one property in Cork.
Five more Fine Gael TDs listed investment properties or rental incomes among their declared interests or said they are landlords.
Dublin Bay South TD Kate O’Connell has five investment properties, two in Westmeath and three in Dublin.
Martin Heydon lists “landlord” among his occupations and a rental property in Wexford.
Waterford TD John Deasy declared “rental income” from an apartment in Citywest, Dublin, and a holiday apartment in Sardinia, Italy.
Carlow-Kilkenny TD Pat Deering declared “rental income” from a house in Carlow.
Alan Farrell declared his former primary residence in Kinsealy, Co Dublin, has been rented since May 2016. He now rents a property elsewhere for his own use.
The list also includes Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl, 12 other Fianna Fáil TDs, Labour TD Alan Kelly and four more Independent TDs including former Minister Seán Canney who has four letting properties.