Derry Cronin

Think Michael Healy-Rae the wealthiest TD in the Dáil, is a man of the people? Lets have a gander at this cutest-of-hoors staggering finances and property portfolio.... He declared 14 houses for letting in Kerry, three guest houses, one rented commercial unit, a vacant premises, an apartment for letting, an unspecified number of apartments in a separate development, an unspecified number of rooms for letting, and student accommodation in Limerick. That's before you get to the rest. Based on CSO median property price data for December 2025, his residential and guest house portfolio is estimated to be worth around €5.6 million. Twelve properties in the Killarney, Kilgarvan, Kenmare and Barraduff area, where the median house price sits at €332,500, give a rough valuation of €3.99 million. Then his six properties in the Tralee and Castleisland area, with a median of €270,000, add another €1.62 million on top. The actual figure could be higher or lower. The register isn't that specific. On the rental income side, 14 Kerry two-bedroom houses at current market rents would generate €18,340 per month, or €220,080 per year. Daft.ie figures show listed monthly rents on two-bedroom houses in Kerry rose 7.3 per cent last year to €1,310, with four-bedroom houses up 8.8 per cent to €1,879. Then there's the land. He owns 100 acres of farmland and forestry in Kilgarvan, another 42 acres of forestry, and a further 4 acres of farmland elsewhere in the area. Based on the most recent Sherry FitzGerald assessment of €14,125 per acre for southwest farmland, the 100-acre holding alone could be worth around €1.46 million. The Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers values Munster forestry at €6,960 per acre, putting the 40-acre forestry plot at approximately €278,000. His company Roughty Properties received €470,000 from the Department of Children in 2024 for Ukrainian accommodation, paid out month by month, €49,640 in March, €52,080 in April, and so on. He also draws income from Kerry County Council's rental accommodation and housing assistance payment schemes. He has been a landlord since he was 18. When he first entered the Dáil in 2011 he already owned 14 properties! The register shows 16 properties in 2016, 19 in 2018, 21 in 2020, 24 in 2022, and 28 for 2025, including his family home. Public records show none of the four companies he directs, Roughty Properties, Black Cap & Co, ML Healy-Rae Properties and Roughty Plant Hire, ever drew down a mortgage. The family plant hire business, now primarily run by his nephew Johnny Healy-Rae, recorded net assets of €4.6 million at the end of 2024. It received €501,000 for Kerry County Council work in 2025 and €384,000 in 2024. Cork County Council paid a further €334,135 across the same two years. Ah but sure begorrah, he doesn't care about money. He's a lovely wee hat and sure he only cares about de poor folk like you and me... – at Dublin City, Ireland