THE WEEKEND statement by Senator Ivor Callely on his mobile phone expenses raised more questions than it answered, Taoiseach Brian Cowen said yesterday.
Speaking at the Tullamore Show in Co Offaly, Mr Cowen said the issue had arisen on Sunday of last week and he had immediately asked Fianna Fáil general secretary Seán Dorgan to make contact with Mr Callely.
“There was not direct engagement back with us,” he said. Following that, the committee of the Fianna Fáil Ardchomhairle had suspended Mr Callely’s membership without prejudice.
“He is not a member of the party as things stand. We have to have a full investigation into this and I am glad to see the Senate Committee will also be moving quickly on this,” said Mr Cowen.
“On the statement last night, I think it raises more questions than answers, quite frankly. I am very anxious the process that has to be pursued gives him an opportunity to put his position to the relevant committees at party level and at Seanad level and take the outcome from there.”
Asked if Mr Callely should not resign, the Taoiseach said he, as leader of Fianna Fáil, was not in the position to arrange for that to happen. “It is a matter for him to consider now.”
He presumed, with the committees looking at the issue in the coming weeks, this was something Mr Callely would have to look at in due course “if it is warranted”.
“As I say, on a prima facie basis, we have seen decisions taken by our own party last week to indicate we cannot in any way have a situation where the trust and confidence of the public have questions about the way politicians conduct their affairs.”
Asked if Mr Callely was dragging politics into the mire, Mr Cowen said: “I don’t want to say any more than I have said because as you know we have a process in place now of investigation.
“But we have made our position clear within 48 hours of this emerging last Sunday when we made the decision to suspend his membership.”
Pressed on whether he should not now ask the Senator to step down, the Taoiseach said: “I don’t have the means by which that can happen from a request by me. But I have made my position clear as party leader. His membership has been suspended.
“There is an investigation which will be taking place in the coming weeks and there are questions obviously that need to be answered. I was asked about last nights statement and I have said it asked more questions than it answered.”
CALLELY RECEIPTS REACTION TO ALLEGATIONS
Statement issued on behalf of Senator Ivor Callely on Saturday evening:
Very serious allegations have been published regarding the mobile phone expenses of Senator Ivor Callely initially in the Mail on Sunday, and subsequently taken up by other print and broadcast media, causing his family and Senator Callely personally considerable distress.
He is also aware of the impact and concern of the general public and his colleagues in Leinster House.
Ivor Callely today stated that he submitted to the Houses of the Oireachtas in November 2007 the four receipts to cover the period of January 2002 to July 2006, totalling €1,907.64. He received these receipts in good faith and submitted these receipts in good faith for vouching purposes in the belief that they were correct. He had no reason to believe that the said receipts were not in order.
The circumstances under which receipts were issued are being investigated. He does not know how these receipts were issued by a company that had ceased trading.
It is now clear that these claims should not have been made. He regrets the difficulties that this has created, all of which will be fully dealt with in the course of the investigation and he will be assisting with any enquiry concerning same.
He therefore withdraws these claims and refunded all monies to the Leinster House authorities in respect of the said invoices concerning the amount paid on mobile phone expenses. (Total € 2,879.45).
Ivor Callely has also contacted his legal advisors today for the purpose of assisting the investigation and vindicating his position. He has been advised not to make further comment pending the investigation.