Minister of State Robert Troy has said he is embarrassed to have inaccurately filed his Oireachtas register of members’ interests documents.
“I didn’t give the process the due diligence that it deserved,” he told RTÉ Radio’s News at One. “I hold my hand up, I admit that. I thought I had got it right but I didn’t.”
Mr Troy apologised to his constituents, the Dáil and said: “I made a very serious mistake.”
The Fianna Fáil Minister of State said he currently had six properties, three in his own name and three in a partnership agreement. One of the properties was sublet into three units and another into four units.
“So in total I have 11 properties at the moment, nine of which are rented out,” Mr Troy said.
Mr Troy is coming under increasing pressure to provide further details around the value of rental contracts he has with Westmeath County Council.
The Longford-Westmeath TD has been at the centre of controversy for failing to declare details of his property interests, and last week made wide-ranging amendments to declarations made for various years in the Oireachtas register of members’ interests. He also apologised for errors in his returns.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin again defended Mr Troy on Monday, but Opposition parties said more information and a full statement in the Dáil were needed.
[ Taoiseach defends Robert Troy over property dealings ]
[ Fintan O’Toole: Robert Troy should quit or be sacked. Ireland’s fragile progress depends on it ]
[ Robert Troy property controversy: How it unfolded ]
Speaking on radio on Tuesday the Minister said the root of the issue was that he misinterpreted the requirements of the return when he failed to disclose all his property holdings. Mr Troy said he thought he had to include only holdings in place on the last day of the year of the return.
Mr Troy rejected any allegation he had tried to conceal his property interests. “I did not try to conceal anything. There was an error in my interpretation.”
As soon as the error was identified, he made a complete new amendment to the Standards in Public Office Commission, he added.
Mr Troy said he takes “full responsibility for my errors” and has “absolutely nothing to hide”.
“I never tried to use my public position for private gain,” Mr Troy said.
Mr Troy also rejected reports that he had insisted on cash payment from one of his tenants. He said he had a signed affidavit from the tenant involved which would contradict that allegation. The tenant in question had wanted to pay cash because he had a previous bad experience with a landlord and thought that paying cash would help the connection.
When the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) was debated in the Dáil he had not declared his personal interest in the scheme under which he was paid (and continues to be paid) €780 per month from Westmeath County Council for a two bed townhouse in Mullingar.
The maximum number of properties for which he was paid under RAS at any time was two, while he was paid HAP for five properties, which are not required to be declared to SIPO. He had discussed a wide range of subjects during that Dáil debate in 2014, he said.
“If I had felt there was a conflict of interest I would have declared it,” he said.
Troy says he owns 11 properties as he apologises again for failure to fully declare interests – The Irish Times & Latest News Update
Troy says he owns 11 properties as he apologises again for failure to fully declare interests – The Irish Times & More Live News
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Troy says he owns 11 properties as he apologises again for failure to fully declare interests – The Irish Times & More News Today
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