INDEPENDENT Senator Rónán Mullen has harshly criticised a Seanad committee for associating his name with three other senators being investigated over their expenses.

Ivor Callely has been given two weeks by a Seanad Committee to respond to the allegations regarding his mobile phone expenses.

IVOR CALLELY faces a public grilling over the latest expenses controversy after a Seanad watchdog last night launched an investigation into his alleged use of fake receipts to claim up to €3,000.

The Seanad Committee on Members Interests is to give Ivor Callely two weeks to respond to the allegations over his expenses - before deciding if a new inquiry is needed.

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.

SEANAD watchdogs are to fast-track their probe into the forgery allegations engulfing Ivor Callely.

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 committee investigating expenses claims by Senator Ivor Callely will meet later.

I DON’T want senators Ivor Callely and Larry Butler to resign the FF party whip ... I want them to resign from political life now.

A report today claims almost half of all TDs and senators are opting for "no-record" expenses.

THE Ivor Callely expenses saga took an extraordinary twist last night as the senator blamed turmoil in his personal life for the size of his travel claims.

A third Fianna Fáil senator has reportedly been asked by the party to provide an explanation of expense claims.

Fianna Fáil Senator Ivor Callely tonight resigned the party whip over an expenses scandal.

The Seanad will not be meeting next week to discuss the expenses scandal surrounding two of its members.

Senator Larry Butler has resigned the Fianna Fáil whip tonight.

THE travel expenses controversy bit deeper in to Fianna Fáil last night as a second senator confirmed he would be subject to an official investigation.

PRESSURE grew on Senator Ivor Callely last night to follow the example of his Seanad colleague Larry Butler and resign from the Fianna Fail parliamentary party over the expenses controversy.

FIANNA FÁIL Senator Larry Butler has insisted that the “rumours” surrounding his controversial expenses are “ill-founded” and that his name will be cleared.

IF Ivor Callely is expelled from the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party, why should he be allowed to continue to be a member of the Seanad?

The Government Chief Whip John Curran has confirmed that a second Senator is being investigated over the expenses row.

The Taoiseach Brian Cowen has now demanded an explanation from another Fianna Fáil Senator over his expenses.

PLANS for NAMA to spend €2.5 billion on professional fees were denounced as “crazy” in the Seanad yesterday.

THE Government is undermining its own homeless strategy by slashing rent supports for vulnerable tenants.

Fianna Fáil has picked up four more Seanad seats this morning in the industrial and commercial panel.

FORMER Fianna Fáil TD Liam Lawlor will learn if he faces a possible fourth term in jail today after frantic efforts to meet a deadline to provide the Mahon Tribunal with further information on his complex financial dealings.