Junior Minister Robert Troy has apologised “unreservedly” for serious mistakes in his register of interests.

The Fianna Fáil TD has made seven amendments to his declaration.

The changes date right back to 2011 and include clarifications regarding his ownership of land, property and his directorships of organisations.

Publishing the changes this afternoon, he again insisted he had been “under the mistaken impression” that he only had to declare properties that were in his possession on December 31^st every year.

Up to now, he had not been declaring properties sold during a given year.

Robert Troy. Picture by: Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie

Minister Troy said he takes his responsibilities as a TD Very seriously and ‘fully appreciates the seriousness of his mistake.’

“I sincerely regret that my omissions and errors could be seen as my deflection or disregard of my responsibilities as public representative,” he said.

“I take full responsibility and I apologise unreservedly to my constituents, colleagues in Government, to the Dáil, and to SIPO for these errors and omissions.”

He also accused “specific media outlets” and people on social media of sharing “inaccuracies” around his alleged insistence that rental income should be paid in cash.

He said he “fully refutes” the claims and  noted that at all times he has “fully declared my income from this, and all property I own”.

“I also fully refute inference or implication of any improper tax conduct on my part,” he said.

“I am fully tax compliant as a landlord and public representative.”

The changes Minister Troy has made to his register of interests are:

Occupation

• 2021 - I have now added that I have my former registered private dwelling house Main Street Ballynacargy, rented out since November 2021
• 2020 - I have now included Oak Crest which was omitted by error due to it being sold in 2020, but registered in 2019
• 2018 – I have now included the sale of Ashfield which was recorded in all previous years

Directorship

• 2021 – I have now added RMT Management Limited. This was declared in previous years. I began the VSO process to close in 2020, and ceased operations in 2020. I was unaware that the process was not formally completed until 2021 – hence my error.

Land

• 2011 - 2021 I have now included all properties under land and occupation. Previously I had declared them under ‘Occupation ‘, on advice from SIPO these should be declared secondly under ‘Properties.’
• 2019 – I have now declared the sale of Ashlawn, Clonbalt Woods, Longford. This was omitted in error as the property was bought and sold that year.
• 2018 – I have now included the sale of Ashfield under land secondly as per the above advice.

The junior minister also declared a number of other things he said did not have to be declared to “ensure full transparency.”

He also pledged to “take the necessary steps” to ensure he is registered as co-owner of a property in Mullingar which he owns 50% of.

The junior minister has also provided details about the sale of a garden in one of his registered properties and the fact that he participated in the Rent-a-Room scheme in his home in 2019.

He has also declared an inter-parliamentary trip to Taiwan in 2013.

Reporting Ben Finnegan and Michael Staines.