04/06/2010

Second Senator To 'Clarify' Expenses

A second Irish Senatoor is being asked to "clarify" the expenses he has claimed after the supplementary payments to members of both houses were published last week.

Last night Taoiseach Brian Cowen set in motion the process to exclude Senator Ivor Callely from the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party over his €81,000 in travel allowance claims.

However, the party today stated it had asked a second member, Senator Larry Butler, to clarify his travel allowances in writing also.

The demand for clarity was put to Senator Butler arose after it emerged he had claimed expenses from an address that is not listed as his home on the official Oireachtas website. Larry Butler has listed his home as Foxrock in Dublin but has claimed travel and accommodation allowance from an address in Graiguenamanagh, Co Kilkenny.

Meanwhile, Mr Callely is now at the mercy of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting, which is to be specially convened next week. Government Chief Whip John Curran said that, at the request of the Taoiseach, he will be bringing a motion seeking the removal of the whip from Mr Callely.

Speaking this morning, Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey said the party had not received an explanation from Mr Callely in relation to the allegations. He said the issue " is nothing directly to do with the party; it is an individual matter [and] it is bringing the party in controversy".

(DW/GK)


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