Healy-Rae largest landlord in Dáil with 16 properties, register reveals

Mr Healy-Rae lists his pre-Dáil occupations postmaster, plant hire owner, farmer and service station owner and says that he owns shares in the New York Times.

The document published on Friday shows that Kerry's Michael Healy-Rae remains the largest landlord in the Dáil, with 16 properties listed in the register, which covers last year. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

A quarter of TDs are either landlords or property investors, the latest Register of Members' Interests has revealed.

The document published on Friday shows that Kerry's Michael Healy-Rae remains the largest landlord in the Dáil, with 16 properties listed in the register, which covers last year.

Mr Healy-Rae lists his pre-Dáil occupations as postmaster, plant hire owner, farmer and service station owner and says that he owns shares in the New York Times.

In total, he lists 21 properties, including five plots or land and 16 rental homes across Kerry and a contract to supply oil to Kerry County Council.

His brother Danny lists four properties, including 91 acres of farmland in Kilgarvan. He also lists shares in Kerry Group.

Former Fine Gael Minister Michael Creed lists his occupation as landlord and has three properties. Others who do the same include Fine Gael junior minister Martin Heydon, who has one property in Kildare and party colleagues Paul Kehoe - who has apartments in Wexford and Dublin - and John Paul Phelan, who has a 50% stake in a home in Dublin 6.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin lists his Turner's Cross office as having been purchased with a mortgage from AIB. Picture: Moya Nolan

Independent TD Carol Nolan has a two bedroom cottage which she rents out with her husband.

The Green Party's Brian Leddin also lists his occupation as landlord, but declares no land or properties.

While not listed as occupations, there are numerous others who declare properties, with independent TD Sean Canney have four, junior minister Thomas Byrne declaring one and Fianna Fáil's Sean Haughey declaring ownership of two duplexes in Dublin. Mr Haughey also declares shareholdings in 34 different companies including Walt Disney.

TDs must disclose all shareholdings over €13,000. Others who made shareholding declarations include Richard Bruton and Fianna Fáil's Willie O'Dea.

In Cabinet, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has two properties for rent - an apartment in Sandyford, Co Dublin, and a house in Clara, Co Offaly.

Danny Healy-Rae lists four properties, including 91 acres of farmland in Kilgarvan. He also lists shares in Kerry Group. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Education Minister Norma Foley owns a 50% stake in a home in Dublin.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin lists his Turner's Cross office as having been purchased with a mortgage from AIB, while Tánaiste Leo Varadkar and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan list no interests.

Labour leader Alan Kelly was listed as a landlord in 2019, but the 2020 register notes that the home in Walkinstown, Dublin 12 he owned had no rental income in 202 and was sold in November.

Cork North Central TD Mick Barry lists shared ownership of a strip of land in front of the row of houses in which he lives in Blackpool, while Fine Gael's Colm Burke lets the ground floor of his Washington Street office to the Cork City Sheriff.