Fianna Fail TD Robert Troy has been blasted by the public after apologising in an interview with Bryan Dobson on the RTE News at One.
The Minister of State for Trade Promotion has come under fire in the last fortnight after he failed to record his business interests correctly on the Member's Register of the Oireachtas.
He failed to record three properties of his, including one which he sold, and further developments as a result of an investigation by On the Ditch which has heaped further pressure on the Longford-Westmeath TD.
He appeared on News at One to explain his case further on Tuesday.
Troy began the interview by apologising to "my constituents, to my colleagues across the Dail, to SIPO, to the public at large, I'm embarrassed I got it so wrong.
"I’m guilty that I didn’t give the process the due diligence it deserved… I hold my hand up, I got it very wrong."
Troy also confirmed that he has had two properties with the Rental Accommodation Scheme - a house in Mullingar at €780 per month and a previous property from 2011 to 2018.
He also noted that he only owns 50% of the Mullingar property, therefore he only receives half of the €9,360 rent per year, under the disclosure threshold of €6,500.
Mr Troy also said he was the landlord at five different tenancies which fall under the HAP scheme, which he claimed do not have to be declared.
In total, he currently owns 11 properties - three in his own name, including his constituency offices, and three where he is in a partnership arrangement with another party.
But he defiantly stated that "I am an open book. I have nothing to hide", confirming he would make himself available in the Dail when it returns in September.
However, people were left fuming with his explanations having tuned in, with one tweeting: "Robert Troy pretending to be too silly to understand the regulations isn't quite the get out of jail card he thinks he is Especially given he's the Minister for Company Regulation"
A second added: "Robert Troy "has nothing to hide" now that people have found all the things that were hidden."
While a third noted: "If Robert Troy was a football club manager he'd get a vote of confidence from the Chairman within the hour and be sacked tomorrow."
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