NEW: Stephen Donnelly defends lobbying for better tax treatment for accidental landlords, while he himself was one – he sought changes in four successive Finance Bills through which he himself stood to benefit. He says ownership of a second property was on record

15 comments

1. > I put it to him that the records may also have reflected an investment property, and didn’t make clear that Donnelly considered himself an “accidental landlord” of the sort who would benefit from his own proposals. He repeated his belief that his annual disclosures covered this.

   Were we meant to divine he was an accidental landlord from his register listing an apartment in sandyford. All the while he was lobbying in government for better tax benefits for himself.

   Having forgotten his RTB registration wouldn’t be cause for resignation. But lobbying for accidental landlords while disguising his role as one is indefensible. He has to go.

2. How can we go abouts getting ride of this government?
   I know fuck all about politics but I can’t just keep pretending like things will get better.
   Seriously what can I do to help get these bastards out of power?

3. This is egregious. I hope he, and many others probably, face electoral consequences for this carry on because they won’t face any other consequences, apparently.

4. I am sick to death with this country – vote these cunts out!

5. [deleted]

6. Drip drip of more like this until he goes

7. Lmao OK, “forgetting” to register is one thing, this is a whole other kettle of fish

8. Another one bites the dust

9. Donnelly should resign because hes a snake weasel.

   BUT.

   He had registered his property on the register of members interests, the issue here is one of not registering with the RTB (i.e. not keeping your regulatory requirements of being a landlord up to date) not one of misleading the Dail on your interests.

10. “Accidental landlord”. maybe when house prices tanked TEN TO FIFTEEN FUCKING YEARS AGO, I could understand that people would hold onto a property and rent it out.

    But claiming to be an “accidental” landlord in 2022 when house prices have bounced back^and^then^some is either delusional, or more likely sitting on a property and renting it out since rental prices have never been so high and they are living their parasite dreams to the fullest.

11. An anagram of Stephen Donnelly is Held Stolen Penny.

12. Oops I did it again… Became an accidental landlord hehe

13. Our political class are all landlords. This is why they are happy not to address the deemed disposal rules that stop people that don’t have the capital to purchase a property as an investment from generating wealth for themselves with what they have.

    Seriously its a problem

14. What the actual f is an Accidental Landlord anyway? Do you just wake up with someone in your vacant property who came home drunk the night before and got the wrong gaff, and they just go “ah feck it” and start paying you rent without you asking? I kinda feel I need someone to ELI5

15. It is human nature – they look after themselves first – they have a built in ‘dont’ care’ mechanism for ‘others’