Minister of State Robert Troy of ‘personally benefiting’
Paul Murphy has accused Minister of State Robert Troy of ‘personally benefiting’ from the housing crisis.
The People Before Profit TD was speaking after Mr Troy again apologised for errors he made in declaring his property interests.
The Fianna Fáil TD said he was “embarrassed” that he got it wrong.
He said he would be very happy to address the Dáil to answer questions on the issue.
Deputy Murphy told The Hard Shoulder Mr Troy admitted to “a whole series of breaches of the law, a whole series of breaches of the ethics legislation.”
He said the big issue is around the non-disclosure.
“It paints a picture of a Fianna Fáil minister wheeling and dealing in property on the side.
“In one transaction he buys one property, sells it the council three months later making a personal pre-tax profit – I think he said – of somewhere over €30,000.
“The non-disclosure is where the legal problem absolutely arises.
“You’d a situation where he had, I think at stage he said, two RAS [Rental Accommodation Scheme] contracts with Westmeath County Council at a certain point in time – and was arguing in the Dáil that we need to be giving more money to these sort of RAS contracts.
“So he has been personally benefiting from the Government’s approach to the housing crisis.
“People have to be able to see it: that this guy is personally benefiting from the housing crisis.
“And at least they know that and can judge his actions, taking that into account”.
Deputy Murphy believes Mr Troy’s excuse is simply not good enough.
“I don’t see how he is still a Minister today, I don’t see how Leo Varadkar has said he’s top class, Micheál Martin said it was all just a misunderstanding.
“The Green Party hasn’t commented on it at all.
“How are they standing over the situation when that is literally the best case defence that he has: is that he made a mistake again and again and again, year after year”.
Credit to : Newstalk