Boyle pussyfooting on Callely’s expenses

SENATOR Dan Boyle has called for the resignation of Ivor Callely from the Seanad. He refers to the drip-feed of allegations around his colleague and the consequent need for the Seanad select committee on members’ interests to consider these allegations.

As a member of that committee, Senator Boyle failed to explain why the committee did not refer its findings vis-a-vis Senator Callely’s expenses to the gardaí, as was open to them in accordance with section 10 ( of the Ethics in Public Office Acts 1995 and 2001.

The committee had an opportunity to put pressure on Senator Callely to face up to his responsibilities, but they chose not to take it. As a member of that committee, Senator Boyle is therefore as guilty as the others in his failure to act in the best interests of the electorate, the people who pay the generous salaries that senators Boyle and Callely enjoy.

From where I’m sitting, this apparent pussyfooting by the committee stinks of a reluctance of the Seanad to dig too deeply into the whole expenses morass.

What are they afraid of, or what are they trying to hide?

John Mulligan

Kiltycreighton

Boyle

Co Roscommon