Callely controversy - Minister’s position untenable

Ivor Callely’s position as Minister for State at the Department of Transport became utterly untenable yesterday.

This is following confirmation that one of the country’s biggest building contractors, John Paul Construction, had footed the bill for decorating his home in the early 1990s.

The company stated it “did not receive any payment or other benefit” for arranging the work, but the real issue is not whether there was anything improper about the arrangement itself.