Two more Fianna Fáil politicians have sought changes to their declarations of interest in the wake of the controversy over Robert Troy’s failure to fully disclose his property interests.
Minister of State for Justice James Browne and Senator Catherine Ardagh have both asked Oireachtas authorities for changes to one declaration each.
Mr Troy resigned as minister of State for enterprise on Wednesday.
He apologised for errors he made in his returns to the Dáil’s Register of Members’ Interests while insisting he did not try to conceal anything.
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Mr Troy has contacted Oireachtas authorities seeking wide-ranging amendments to declarations he made to the Dáil’s Register of Members’ Interests covering various years.
The Irish Times sought to contact all TDs and Senators on Friday to ask if they were seeking amendments to declarations they made over the years.
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So far 44 TDs have responded to say they are not seeking any changes and 14 Senators have said they are not looking for amendments.
Mr Browne and Ms Ardagh are the first two politicians to volunteer information on changes they are seeking.
Junior minister Mr Browne confirmed he has submitted an amended declaration that includes an omission for 2019 to include the constituency office he purchased in 2018.
He said: “In light of recent events I reviewed each of my declarations since becoming a TD in 2016 and I realised that while I had declared my constituency office in my returns for the years 2018, 2020, and 2021 I omitted to include it in my returns for 2019.”
He added: “I asked for my 2019 declaration to be rectified as soon as I realised my mistake.”
Dublin-based Senator Ms Ardagh said she began the process of seeking an amendment to her 2017 return to the Seanad’s Declaration of Interests earlier this week.
She said: “I have a single amendment to make.
“In 2017 I sold my apartment that was my former principal private residence.
“I declared this property in my 2016 return.”
Ms Ardagh’s declaration that year lists the Dublin 8 property as being let out.
“I sold the property in 2017 but omitted it in error from my 2017 declaration.”
She said the Dublin apartment had been her home for many years.
“I moved out and let it out in 2010.”
Ms Ardagh made a loss on the sale of the apartment which she bought in 2004 for €360,000 and sold in 2017 for €325,000.
An Oireachtas spokesman did not offer details of how many TDs and Senators have sought changes to the registers of interests for the Dáil and the Seanad, since August 10th, the day omissions by Mr Troy were first revealed by the Ditch website.
The spokesman said: “Updated supplements and the names of members who have made changes or updates to the Register of Members’ Interests will become available in due course when the register is updated”.
Mr Troy has explained omissions he made in his declarations, saying he was of the mistaken belief that only properties he owned at the end of a calendar year had to be declared.
In his resignation statement on Wednesday, Mr Troy said: “I have not tried to conceal anything.
“My biggest offense is my lack of due diligence.
“However, one issue in isolation is excusable but the number of errors now that are of my making directly or indirectly has led me to this decision.”
