Tuam councillor says he has nothing to hide following PrimeTime

TUAM councillor Tom McHugh has defended his under-declaration of interests as an oversight, following a Prime Time broadcast this week into conflicts of interest in local and national politics.
The Fine Gael councillor was one of those named by the programme for failing to declare his interest in a 30 acre farm, an unfinished house in Achill, a residential site and other residentially zoned and commercial properties.
Cllr McHugh said he was unaware that the farm, which was an inheritance from his late parents, had been transferred to him and that the omission of other lands from his declaration were an oversight on his behalf.
He confirmed that he received a payment of €150,000 from the Department of the Environment through Galway County Council for building services but said he “honestly didn’t understand or realise that this should have been declared”.