FIANNA FÁIL Senator Ivor Callely has resigned the party whip pending an inquiry into his expenses claims and apologised for the controversy he caused.
In a statement at the weekend he promised to co-operate fully with the inquiry being conducted by the Seanad select committee on members’ interests.
Mr Callely said over the past week he had been trying to get to grips with the controversy that has surrounded him and his family in relation to his Oireachtas expenses.
“I have struggled to cope with the progression of events. I have made mistakes as a result,” said Mr Callely. He expressed deep regret that the statement he made to Seanad Éireann last Wednesday was not sufficient.
“With hindsight I would have handled that opportunity differently. I did not furnish enough information and I apologise for that.”
He said that he was fortunate to have a West Cork residence, a Clontarf residence and a constituency office in Killester and he travelled from all three to fulfil his duties in the Seanad.
“There are anomalies in the old expense system and I was endeavouring to address them in order to reflect my personal circumstances.
“I was residing . . . in West Cork when I was appointed to the Seanad. My expenses were initiated to reflect that position. But due to the way this controversy has been presented, I can relate to and acknowledge the level of public annoyance,” he said.
Mr Callely said that he proposed to engage in a comprehensive fashion with the select committee.
“I am sorry for the controversy I have generated and how that has impacted on the members of the Oireachtas and politics in general.”
He said the issue had deflected from more important national and international matters and he was therefore resigning the Fianna Fáil party whip with immediate effect, pending the deliberations of the committee.
Another Fianna Fáil senator, Larry Butler, resigned the whip on Friday pending an adjudication by the members’ interest committee on his expenses claims from his house in Co Kilkenny rather than his Dublin home.