The Ethics in Public Office Commission is still awaiting an explanation from the Minister for the Marine, Mr Fahey, five weeks after it was reported he had not disclosed he was the registered owner of a Florida apartment.
The Commission has written twice to the Minister to see what interest, if any, he has in the property but has still not received the response sought. The Irish Times understands that a third, "more firm" reminder will be sent next week if there has still been no communication from the Minister. Mr Fahey's name appears on the title deeds for a u£130,000 Daytona Beach property purchased 16 months ago. The apartment was not included in his declaration of financial interests. At the beginning of December the commission said it had been made aware of the matter and would be looking into it.
Mr Fahey was not available for comment yesterday. It is understood he originally intended to go guarantor for a friend on the property but the US bank involved insisted his name go on the deed, although he had no beneficial interest in it.
The Minister apparently felt he was not required to declare this as his property under the Ethics in Public Office Act.
All Government Ministers are required by law to list all properties they own or any other financial interests they have above a certain value. Mr Fahey and his friend Mr John Cahill are the registered owners of the two-bedroom apartment on South Atlantic Avenue, Daytona Beach Shores.
In his 2000 declaration to the commission, Mr Fahey, who is a teacher on secondment from Gort Community School, has declared a number of properties, including a house he lets in Gort, a house and apartment in Galway, family shareholdings in properties in Athlone and Dublin and a holiday home bought recently in Florida.
Meanwhile it is understood the commission is in correspondence with solicitors for the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Mr Ned O'Keeffe, concerning his declaration under the Act in relation to his Co Cork pig farm.