Callely declined expenses help

Oireachtas officials twice offered to make a “special case” for Senator Ivor Callely’s expenses to the Minister for Finance, a committee investigating complaints against Mr Callely has heard.

Derek Dignam from the Oireachtas members’ services unit appeared before the committee on members’ interests of Seanad Éireann today.

Mr Callely was called before the committee last Friday asked to explain his €81,015 travel expenses and why he claimed for the 370-kilometre journey between Leinster House and his holiday home in Kilcrohane, west Cork, instead of from his residence in Clontarf, Dublin, over a two-year period.

Mr Dignam said Mr Callely submitted “nil” claims for the last four months of 2008 and the last three months of 2009.

Mr Callely previously indicated he began to spend more time in Clontarf towards the end of 2008 and 2009.

He did not claim for these months, believing this was a fair way of dealing with an “anomaly” in the expenses regime then in place, “which was inflexible for those who may find themselves in a normal place of residence separate from their family home”.

Mr Dignam agreed it was unusual for members to submit “nil” returns, but said: “There’s no harm to it”. He added: “We did offer twice to put a special case to the Minister for Finance for him…he didn’t take our offer.”

Mr Callely referred in a letter to having spoken to the Minister, Brian Lenihan.

Mr Dignam said communications his office received from Mr Callely related to enquiries about changing his expenses option from “overnight and travel” to “daily allowance”, rather than changing his address.

He said Mr Callely had claimed €21,000 in 2007, €32,000 in 2008 and €27,000 in 2009. His "nil" claims for 2008 and 2009 were worth approximately €23,000.