Senate wins appeal over Callely expenses

A Seanad committee has won an appeal against a High Court ruling which had found in favour of former senator Ivor Callely over his expenses.

A seven-judge Supreme Court, in a 4-3 decision, ruled the Seanad Committee on Members’ Interests was entitled to conclude that in 2008 Mr Callely had misrepresented his normal place of residence as being in Kilcrohane House, Bantry, Co Cork, rather than Clontarf in Dublin, when claiming expenses.

The appeal arose out of a January 2011 High Court finding that there had been a breach of fair procedures when the Seanad Committee decided, in July 2010, that he had deliberately misrepresented his place of residence.