Minister of State Robert Troy is under pressure to reveal the details of rental contracts he has with a local authority in his constituency.
The Longford-Westmeath TD has been at the centre of controversy for failing to declare details of his property interests.
This week he has made wide-ranging amendments to declarations made for various years in the Oireachtas Register of Members’ Interests, and apologised for errors in his returns.
In his statement outlining the changes he is making, Mr Troy said he has two Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) contracts with Westmeath County Council.
The best crime fiction of 2024: Robert Harris, Jane Casey, Joe Thomas, Kellye Garrett, Stuart Neville and many more
We’re heading for the second biggest fiscal disaster in the history of the State
Housing in Ireland is among the most expensive and most affordable in the EU. How does that happen?
Ceann comhairle election key task as 34th Dáil convenes for first time
This was included among a number of items that the Fianna Fáil TD understands do not have to be declared under the rules governing the Register of Members’ Interests, but he said he was offering the details “to ensure full transparency”.
However, questions have been raised as to whether Mr Troy is obliged to declare the contracts under rules requiring goods and services provided to public bodies over the value of €6,500 to be included in the Register of Members’ Interests.
People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy has asked the Standards in Public Office Commission (Sipo) to investigate if Mr Troy’s non-declaration of the RAS contracts with Westmeath County Council is a breach of ethics legislation.
In a letter to Sipo Mr Murphy argued: “It seems clear that such contracts would amount to the provision of a service of accommodation to the council and would therefore be covered under the relevant provision in the Ethics in Public Office Act.”
He identified this provision as the one requiring declaration of the supply of goods or services to a public body over the sum of €6,500.
Mr Murphy has called on Mr Troy to release details of the RAS contracts, telling The Irish Times: “The most significant of the revelations in Minister Troy’s statement is that he has two RAS contracts.
“However, he failed to declare which properties they relate to, how long these contracts have been in existence for and what income he derives from them.
“He should immediately come forward with those details.”
Mr Troy has not yet responded to questions from The Irish Times on which properties the RAS contracts relate to, whether he is the full or part owner of the properties and how much income he gets from each contract per year.
Mr Murphy is also seeking a Sipo investigation on whether Mr Troy breached the rules by failing to disclose properties he owned or co-owned and some of which he sold.
On Thursday Mr Troy outlined changes he is making to his Register of Members’ Interests declarations including registration for the first time of his former home, which has been rented out since November 2021.
Mr Troy has previously explained the omission from the register of two other properties he has sold, saying he believed they did not have to be declared if he did not own them at the end of the relevant calendar year.
