TAOISEACH BRIAN Cowen should make a statement on the investigation into Senator Ivor Callely’s travel-related expenses, Fine Gael Senator Eugene Regan said.
He also called on the Garda Síochána to follow up the results of the investigation by a Seanad committee that determined Mr Callely had misrepresented his place of residence as being in Co Cork rather than Dublin. “My own view is that it is up to Brian Cowen to make a statement at this stage as to whether he wishes to direct the Senator to pay back the money forthwith and, given that he is a Taoiseach’s nominee and in all the circumstances, whether he wishes to call on Mr Callely to resign.
“The Garda Síochána are now aware of the misrepresentation for gain against the public purse by Senator Callely and I think it is incumbent on them to act and to carry out a full investigation, as they would do if they had a reasonable suspicion that there was an inappropriate claim on Social Welfare, for example,” said Mr Regan.
Senator Denis O’Donovan has confirmed that in the 1990s, his law firm acted for Mr Callely in dealings related to the site for the Cork home at the centre of the controversy.
Mr O’Donovan said he had not informed committee chairman Pat Moylan about the link because, “it was such a long time ago that I felt it was irrelevant”.
Mr Callely has claimed €81,015 in travel-related expenses since his nomination to the Seanad by then taoiseach Bertie Ahern in 2007.