Madam, – Senator Ivor Callely has brought shame on himself, his party and the office of Senator.
Rather than making a statement at the outset with regard to his expense claims, he was more than happy to expend further taxpayers’ money and Oireachtas resources through the Seanad committee. Despite entrusting his case to judgment by his peers with the expectation he would be vindicated, his incredulous and defiant stance now the committee has found against him shows his lack of respect for this already under-fire institution and those responsible for its financing.
While the Seanad committee is to be commended for publishing the report in a timely fashion, I can’t help but feel they have missed a trick in the sanctions imposed against the disgraced Senator. Rather than suspending him for 20 days without pay, would it not have been more appropriate to suspend his pay and entitlements for the period, but also have him report for duty so he could work off at least some of what he owed? In doing so, unlike those constituents awaiting long-overdue bye-elections, the country would be getting some degree of representation and recompense. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – If any of our elected or appointed members of the Oireachtas are to retain any credibility in light of the the Seanad Committee on Members’ Interests’ findings that Senator Callely had breached Section 4 of the 2001 Standards in Public Office Act they must, to a member, publicly call on him to resign his seat in the Seanad.
Further abuses of the kind perpetrated by Senator Callely could be prevented if the Government were to have one of the many Nama properties in Dublin converted into an “Oireachtas hostel” providing overnight accommodation for members. Additionally, provision of free travel passes and Dublinbikes long-term cards to all Oireachtas members would have the double benefit of eliminating exorbitant and exaggerated travel expenses while also concentrating their minds on the poor levels of public transport and city cycle lanes endured by those whom they serve. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Having followed events in your paper over the last week in relation to Senator Callely it has become quite clear he is indeed a man of “principals”, at least two of them! – Yours, etc,
Madam, – In two words, a good reason for abolishing the Seanad: Senator Callely. – Yours, etc,