Ceann Comhairle Seán Barrett has written to the chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on Members’ Interests requesting it convene an inquiry into the tax affairs of Independent TD Mick Wallace.
Mr Wallace is facing censure by his Dáil colleagues and a possible criminal prosecution over his admitted under-declaration of VAT payments by his construction firm.
In a letter to the Oireachtas Committee on Members’ Interests, Mr Barrett said: “In view of the grave issues raised by the admission by Deputy Mick Wallace of his under-declaration of VAT payments by his construction firm and the implications this has for (democracy and) the standing of the Dáil and the members, I would request that your committee would examine the issues raised with a view to conducting an appropriate investigation as you may see fit.”
Members of the Dáil technical group today continued to distance themselves from Mr Wallace's following confirmation of his €2.1 million settlement with the Revenue Commissioners.
Mr Wallace was heavily criticised at an emergency meeting of technical group members yesterday but his colleagues were initially reluctant to comment publicly on the issue.
However, in a sign of the rising pressure on the Wexford TD, nine members of the technical group outside the United Left Alliance, including Shane Ross and Finian McGrath, last night issued a statement critical of his behaviour.
Independent TDs including Maureen O'Sullivan, Thomas Pringle, Finian McGrath and Shane Ross all criticised Mr Wallace openly today.
Kildare North TD Catherine Murphy, another independent member of the technical group, said this morning she would not be calling for Mr Wallace to resign.
“People are sovereign in who they select to run for the Dáil and essentially it wouldn’t be up to me or any other TD to have the right to second guess what people do at the ballot box,” she told RTÉ's Morning Ireland.
For the United Left Alliance, People before Profit leader Richard Boyd Barrett said Mr Wallace's actions were wrong. Joan Collins was also critical of the Wexford TD, although she did not go so far as to say whether he should stand down as a member of the Dáil.
The ULA's Clare Daly said she believed that while he had made the wrong decision, Mr Wallace was still fit for office.
Speaking earlier on Today with Pat Kenny, Socialist leader Joe Higgins also said it was up to voters in Wexford to decide on Mr Wallace's future.
Separately, the Green Party urged the Dáil technical group to ask Mr Wallace to stand down from the group.
“If he was a member of our own or any other political party, we would be asking that his party membership be withdrawn," said party leader Eamon Ryan.
"The technical group is not a political party but there is nothing to stop members changing the make-up of the grouping. We would suggest that the technical group members now reconsider their own position in that regard."
The Wexford TD is facing censure by his Dáil colleagues and a possible criminal prosecution over his admitted under-declaration of VAT payments by his construction firm. Fine Gael and Labour TDs have called on him to consider his position as a Dáil member.
Mr Wallace faces up to five years’ imprisonment if prosecuted and convicted over his under-declaration of VAT over a two-year period. Revenue would take into account his admission that he is unable to pay the sum owed in deciding whether to pursue him through the courts. His co-operation would serve as a mitigating factor.
Arrangements are being made for an early meeting of the Dáil Committee on Procedures and Privileges, which is likely to consider a motion of censure or suspension from the Dáil over his behaviour.
Under the agreement with Revenue, MJ Wallace Ltd, which is 99 per cent owned by Mr Wallace, was found to have under-declared VAT by €1.418 million. With interest and penalties, the settlement came to €2.13 million. Mr Wallace last night rejected calls for his resignation from the Dáil. “That’s a matter for the people of Wexford. It’s not for other political parties or the media to call for my head,” he said. “If I thought the people of Wexford didn’t want me to represent them any more I would walk.”
While his tax issues had presented people a useful opportunity to give him “a good kicking”, he said he had been “showered” with messages of goodwill from his constituents.
Mr Wallace pointed out that Revenue had categorised his behaviour as careless rather than deliberate. “I came forward, I told them the exact truth and they believed my story. People forget I put everything in place until ACC moved against me.”
He again stressed he didn’t have an expensive lifestyle. His apartment in Nice had been sold to pay debts and as much was owed on an apartment in Turin as it was worth. He travelled to Italy on tickets bought well in advance for €100.
“I have nothing, but that doesn’t bother me as long as I have my health.”
Mr Wallace, an ardent soccer fan, is travelling today to Euro 2012 in Poland.