Callely suspended from Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil last night suspended senator Ivor Callely from the party as it launched its own investigation into the politician’s controversial expenses.
Although Mr Callely had already resigned from the senior coalition partner’s parliamentary ranks, he remained a full member of the organisation.
But after fresh allegations that he had used forged documents to make expenses claims from the Oireachtas, Fianna Fáil chiefs bowed to mounting pressure to take action against the former TD.
In a statement released last night the party said Mr Callely had been suspended from Fianna Fáil, without prejudice, pending the completion of an internal investigation.
“The party today reviewed certain matters in the public domain concerning Senator Callely and agreed that this information establishes a possible prima facie case of conduct unbecoming a member of the Fianna Fáil organisation,” a spokesman said.
“Accordingly, the party will establish an internal investigation into this matter which will report to the next meeting of the Fianna Fáil Ard Chomhairle, scheduled for September.”
The party said it has written to Senator Callely and the Oscar Traynor cumann in his former Dublin North Central constituency to inform them of the developments.
The suspension followed growing calls for further probes into the senator’s expenses, including Opposition demands for Justice Minister Dermot Ahern to order a Garda investigation.
The senator was suspended from the Seanad last month without pay for 20 days after an inquiry found he intentionally misrepresented where he lived for the purpose of claiming allowances, worth €81,000.
He now also faces allegations he claimed around €3,000 for mobile phones from a company that had gone out of business.
Fellow Senator Eugene Regan, Fine Gael’s justice spokesman in the upper house, said no rational explanation had been provided by Mr Ahern or Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy as to why a probe cannot be carried out.
“The suggestion that a formal complaint has to be made to the gardai before it can take action has no basis in law,” Senator Regan said.
“If an attack takes place in the street where a person is brutally injured, the guards do not have to wait until a complaint is made to pursue the matter. The same applies here.”
A Garda spokesman said it does not comment on any named individuals.
Fianna Fáil figures have already urged Mr Callely to consider his position, including veteran TD Mary O’Rourke.
Last month’s Seanad committee investigation described his actions as “serious and grave”.
It found he did not act in good faith when he claimed his normal place of residence was his former holiday home in Kilcrohane, west Cork – rather than his self-confessed “family home” in Clontarf, north Dublin.
In the wake of the latest revelations Independent Senator David Norris said the good work of the Seanad was being undermined.
“It is a great pity that the work done by decent members of the senate, and they are the majority, should be so undermined in this way but it seems to me that if these reports are correct they certainly point towards criminal matters,” he said.
Sinn Féin’s Dáil leader Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin called on Taoiseach Brian Cowen to demand Mr Callely’s immediate resignation.
“Ivor Callely was a Taoiseach’s nominee to the Seanad and in light of the ongoing controversy surrounding him it is now up to the Taoiseach to demand his resignation,” Mr Ó Caoláin said.
