Former Fianna Fáil junior minister Robert Troy has said he never attempted to conceal his property or business interests but that he had made errors on his Dáil register four years ago.
The Longford-Westmeath TD was today before a hearing of the Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO) over his declaration of interests for 2020 and 2021.
The Fianna Fáil TD corrected the register in the summer of 2022 before resigning as a junior minister in August of that year following reports on The Ditch website that he had not fully declared his interests to the Oireachtas.
Today, Deputy Troy acknowledged that he did make errors in his declaration of members interests but said there was no attempt to conceal his ownership of properties.
Under questioning from Hugh McDowell BL, acting for the Commission, Robert Troy said he himself filled out the statements for 2020 and 2021 and that he took full responsibility for them.
He said that in hindsight he was sorry he did not seek professional advice, and had he done so, he “wouldn’t be here today and perhaps I may still be Minister of State”.
He said at no stage had he tried to conceal anything on the forms and that he filled them out to the best of his ability, but said he had misinterpreted the requirements from the very beginning and it was that misinterpretation that led to a repeated error in his forms.
Deputy Troy said that while he had declared himself as landlord under the ‘occupation’ heading, he should have also declared property under the ‘landl heading.
He said that in compiling his returns, he did so on the basis that he was being fully open and transparent, but said he accepts that in certain incidences, certain directorships or properties were not under certain headings, but said every property and every directorship was declared at some point.
He said there was no attempt conceal any of his interests, be it as a director or as a property owner. He said at many times he had gone ‘over and above’ what was required.
During today’s three hour hearing, Robert Troy said he wanted to thank the Commission for giving him an opportunity to clarify the errors that he had made and said he always acknowledged that he had made them and taken full responsibility for that.
He said he hoped he had demonstrated that the errors were no way intentional and at no point did he try to conceal his property or directorship.
He said he took his responsibility as a public representative ‘extremely seriously’ and that on many occasions he had gone ‘over and above’ what was required of him in terms of making a declaration.
He said that given the seriousness that he placed on this, he took the decision to resign as a minister of State, showing the emphasis, he said, he based on ensuring that as public representative, interests should be declared in an open and transparent way.
Robert Troy’s barrister, Adrian O’Higgins BL, told the hearing that his client had fully engaged with the Commission and its inquiry since the matter arose in August 2022 and had contacted the Commission and the clerk of the Dáil immediately when the matters arose.
He also said Deputy Troy had made a supplemental declaration of interest “as soon as he possibly could” in advance of being told that a complaint had been made with SIPO.
He said every matter that was now being raised was dealt with in that supplemental declaration.
He told the Commission that there was statutory provision for such declarations to be made and said it is often utilised, saying that from August 2022 to date, there have been twenty separate ones from different members.
He said none of those individuals were facing investigation.
Adrian O’Higgins also said it was his case that the issues that arise are “minor in nature” and “inadvertent”, and there was no intention whatsoever to make any concealment of any of the properties given the fact that they were all declared in some manner during the period of time.
In his closing remarks, Hugh McDowell BL said no evidence had been called to dispute Deputy Troy’s account and said he did not think the Commission can come to the conclusion that Mr Troy behaved in an intentional manner or that he intentionally sought to mislead.
Commenting at the end of today’s proceedings, Adrian O’Higgins BL said that if the Commission does find there were breaches, that they were on the “inadvertent” scale and minor in nature, and certainly not intentional or reckless.
The Commission said it would now reflect on what it had heard and report in due course.
