Dempsey: Callely has case to answer
A senior Government Minister has said Ivor Callely still has a case to answer in light of fresh allegations over his expenses.
Transport Minister Noel Dempsey said there are outstanding questions that need to be answered by the Senator who was suspended from the Fianna Fáil party last night.
It comes after Green Party TD Paul Gogarty made a formal complaint to Gardaí today concerning Mr Callely's expenses.
Mr Gogarty, who has written to the Seanad complaining about the politician’s alleged conduct, went to Dublin’s Lucan Garda Station asking for an investigation to be carried out.
Fianna Fáil last night suspended Senator Callely from the party as it launched its own probe into his expenses after fresh allegations that he had used forged documents to claim from the Oireachtas.
The Dublin Mid-West TD said he made the move because of public anger.
“In that context, I went to the garda station... requested an investigation formally, acknowledge that I have no role in influencing the investigation in any way, except to bring it to their attention, and gave my details,” Mr Gogarty said.
Mr Gogarty, who also handed in two copies of a Sunday newspaper report detailing the latest allegations, said a garda at Lucan told him an investigation would be carried out.
The gardaí said it does not comment on named individuals.
Mr Gogarty has already written to the Seanad Members Interests’ Committee calling for a formal investigation.
Fianna Fáil bowed to mounting pressure and suspended Senator Callely, without prejudice, pending the completion of an internal investigation after he faced new allegations he claimed around €3,000 for mobile phones from a company that had gone out of business.
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.
Mr Callely has yet to make any public comment on the new allegations.
