Holidays set to delay Callely probe

A PROBE into allegations of false expense claims by Senator Ivor Callely is expected to be delayed because lawyers are on holiday.

The Dublin-based senator is believed to have requested an adjournment of an investigation into his expenses by the Seanad Committee on Members’ Interests. The committee, which will meet on Monday, is expected to agree to his request given that many lawyers are on holiday during the month of August and because the senator is entitled to time to prepare his case.

A source said last night that the adjournment is likely to be for two to three weeks, after which time a public hearing into the allegations into Mr Callely is likely.

The committee had given Mr Callely until Monday to submit a “detailed statement” on the allegations that he used forged receipts from a phone equipment company that had gone out of business, to claim €3,000 expenses.

A similar Oireachtas probe last month resulted in Mr Callely being suspended for 20 days for misrepresenting his normal place of residence to claim travel expenses from his holiday home in Cork instead of his Dublin address.

The committee has also received responses from Senators Larry Butler and Ann Ormonde who are also subject to an investigation following complaints that they claimed travel allowances for addresses not listed as their official residences.

Meanwhile, Independent senator Ronan Mullen demanded any legal costs arising out of an investigation into complaints made against him should be paid for by the People Before Profit party who, he claims, made “vexatious” complaints against him.

The People Before Profit group made a complaint against Mr Mullen because he refused to reveal to them the identity of a colleague, who allegedly advised him to fiddle his expenses.

Mr Mullen had revealed during a radio interview that another senator had told him he should use his old home address in Galway to claim mileage, instead of his current Dublin residence.

Mr Mullen believes he was not treated fairly by being included for investigation along with people against whom more serious allegations were made.