THE GARDA Commissioner has written to the clerk of the Seanad about a number of complaints over Ivor Callely’s claiming of Oireachtas expenses.
A Garda spokesman said several requests were received seeking “investigations into allegations recently published in the media concerning a named member of Seanad Éireann”.
“One of these requests emanated from a member of Dáil Éireann. These matters are currently being considered in the context of what action by An Garda Síochána is required.”
The move comes amid allegations that Mr Callely claimed almost €3,000 in expenses from a mobile phone company that had long since ceased trading. The Garda spokesman said Commissioner Fachtna Murphy had written to the clerk of the Seanad, Deirdre Lane, “seeking clarification of certain matters”.
Following his own complaint to the clerk of the Seanad earlier this week about Mr Callely, Green Party TD Paul Gogarty yesterday made a lengthy statement to the Garda Síochána about possible breaches of the criminal law.
The Seanad committee investigating Mr Callely’s expenses is to resume at the end of this month, although one of its more prominent members, Independent Senator Joe O’Toole, has called for an earlier meeting on the issue. The matter is ultimately expected to come before the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission because the mobile phone expenses claim dates back to his previous service as a Dáil deputy.
Headed by Ceann Comhairle Séamus Kirk, this 11-member cross-party group of TDs and Senators oversees Dáil and Seanad expenditure, payment of salaries and expenses to members and staff, and keeping and publishing annual accounts.
An Oireachtas spokesman said yesterday that the Seanad Committee on Members’ Interests would meet in private session on August 31st to consider how to proceed in relation to the complaint to the clerk from Mr Gogarty.
Mr Callely was last month suspended for 20 days after the committee found he had misrepresented his normal place of residence as west Cork instead of Dublin for the purpose of travel-related expense claims.
In a letter to the committee chairman, Seanad Cathaoirleach Pat Moylan, Mr O’Toole wrote: “I believe we should convene an early meeting of the Members’ Interests Committee to assess that complaint.
“It might be necessary to facilitate some members who are on family holidays by arranging teleconferencing for them.”
The invoices that are the subject of complaint date from 2002-2006, during which period Mr Callely was a TD for Dublin North Central and a minister of state at the Department of Health and, later, the Department of Transport. He resigned as a junior minister in December 2005.
Referring to the purchase of Nokia mobile phones, car-kit installation and other costs, the invoices are on headed notepaper of Business Communications Ltd, with an address in Fairview, Dublin, which filed its last annual return in 1993, had a liquidator appointed in 1994 and was later officially dissolved.