Senior Tipperary housing official leasing two properties to local authority employer, among 20 percent of senior landlord staff

The second-most senior housing official at Tipperary County Council is letting two properties she owns to her local authority employer for social housing.

Council housing official Cora Morrissey is one of two senior staff members who lease properties to their employer, according to records obtained by The Ditch.

The council’s ethics register confirms that almost 20 percent of its 71 senior employees are landlords.

Second to the top

Senior executive officer Cora Morrissey, second in seniority to Tipperary County Council’s director of housing, lets two of her houses in Clonmel, county Tipperary to her employer under “long-term leases”.

She lets the properties through the rental accommodation scheme, according to the local authority’s staff register of interests.

The ethics register also shows that another council employee, senior executive engineer James Swords, also lets his house in Cahir, county Tipperary to his employer under a long-term lease. 

Fourteen out of the 71 senior council staff, almost one in five, who are required to submit an annual declaration of interests are landlords.

Among the landlords is Roscrea town regeneration officer Áine MacCarthy who rents out her property in Nenagh, county Tipperary. Director of services for economic, community and rural Development Brian Beck meanwhile owns an “investment property” in Dooradoyle, county Limerick.