Ivor Callely insisted tonight he acted in good faith when submitting expense receipts from a company that had gone out of business – but admitted he was repaying the money he received.

The controversy surrounding Ivor Callely’s expenses is an embarrassment to Fianna Fáil, a senior Government minister accepted today.

Pressure continues to mount on Senator Ivor Callely to make a statement on his expenses.

Complaints surrounding the allowances of two further Fianna Fáil Senators will be considered by the Seanad Members Interests Committee when it meets next week.

Complaints surrounding the allowances of two further Fianna Fáil Senators will be considered by a Seanad watchdog probing allegations about Ivor Callely’s expenses when it meets next week, it emerged tonight.

The independent body set up to explain the Lisbon Treaty today maintained assurances attached to the charter were legally watertight.

The Referendum Commission today launched a campaign urging people who are not on the register of voters to claim their vote before the October 2 referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.

A TOWN council count in west Cork had to go to a second recount, with a first-time FF candidate finally unseating a veteran FG member last night.

MARTIN CULLEN was in the clear last night as the State ethics watchdog decided against initiating a full inquiry into the appointment of his political associate Monica Leech as a PR consultant.

The fate of Transport Minister Martin Cullen should be known on Friday evening after the Standards in Public Office Commission meets to study how he awarded PR contracts in two Government departments.

THE independent body responsible for informing the public on referenda has been given a record budget for the second round of the Nice Treaty campaign.