Ivor Callely Expenses

Nijmegen · 03-06-2010 8:38am

Who the feck thought it would be a good idea that politicians and senior civil servants get to set their own pay and conditions?

The Mulk · 03-06-2010 8:40am

A few years ago I was working in an old large house on the Clontarf Road. Next door to the post office.It has a long tarmac garden. The house was in need of serious work, we were there to make sure the lights and sockets were working and there was a plumber there to ensure heating and hot water. You wouldn't have put a dog in the house. A member of the seanad arrived(guess who) to oversee the work as he was the owner. Approx. 20 beds were delivered from Bargaintown and put into the rooms, as they were being let out to foreign nationals. There was also a lad living in the shed! After seeing this nothing a politician does would surprise me.

bog master · 03-06-2010 8:41am

According to reports, he claimed for 289 overnight stays in Dublin from Aug 07 to April 09. How often does the Seanad sit? I seem to recollect it only sits for 90 odd days in a given year?

danmanw8 · 03-06-2010 8:43am

dan_d wrote: »

It's like saying "I'm relocating to France for a better lifestyle, and I'll charge my flights to the taxpayer every time I've to come back for Government business".

Don`t be giving them ideas!

bamboozle · 03-06-2010 8:44am

The Mulk wrote: »

A few years ago I was working in an old large house on the Clontarf Road. Next door to the post office.It has a long tarmac garden. The house was in need of serious work, we were there to make sure the lights and sockets were working and there was a plumber there to ensure heating and hot water. You wouldn't have put a dog in the house. A member of the seanad arrived(guess who) to oversee the work as he was the owner. Approx. 20 beds were delivered from Bargaintown and put into the rooms, as they were being let out to foreign nationals. There was also a lad living in the shed! After seeing this nothing a politician does would surprise me.

his wife owns in excess of 10 rental properties around Clontarf, Killester, Raheny - they made the news a few years back for evicting a single mother illegally a few weeks before Christmas

bamboozle · 03-06-2010 8:48am

dvpower wrote: »

His chances over ever getting back into the Dáil were slim to none even before this scandle. He's been trying to get his son elected as a counciller in Clontarf but the Callely name didn't help at the last attempt - that and the fact that his son looks to be about 12 years old and doesn't have much to offer except his surname.

his sons posters and election campaign must have been one of the best funded electoral campaigns in the country, giant cut out posters of the kid with gelled hair dressed like he was heading into town on a saturday night, even more comical was that on the posters the 'facebook' logo was more prominent that the FF logo.
Callelly Sr's last election campaign had amongst other things flyers with pictures of penguins on glaciers and a caption about saving the environment, while he was driving around in his 4 litre Land Rover Sport.

To be honest i just wonder what Ivor has on Bertie that Bertie felt obliged to appoint him to the seanad.

henryporter · 03-06-2010 8:51am

Irish Tims yesterday: 'In March he handed back a cheque for €3,987, stating he wished his expenses and allowances to reflect his actual expenses'.

WFT:eek: Surely he made a claim for the expenses, and then received the cheque, not the other way around.

danmanw8 · 03-06-2010 8:53am

bamboozle wrote: »

To be honest i just wonder what Ivor has on Bertie that Bertie felt obliged to appoint him to the seanad.

Alas that is something we will never get to the bottom of

gbee · 03-06-2010 9:01am

Just another example of using the rules to your own benefit and more proof if it were ever needed that this senate thing now seriously need abandonment, it was seen as a retirement or holding home for ex politicians and a grooming school for An Taoiseach.

And I was taught that back in the 1969 in political science class.

ro2 · 03-06-2010 9:19am

who the fug wrote: »

Somebody has been having fun on his wiki page

Just looking at the history of the Wikipedia edits for his entry for the past few days. There was one edit on 12:16, 2 June 2010 from an IP address registered to the government network (137.191.242.130). Looks like Ivor was fixing a typo

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ivor_Callely&diff=365626849&oldid=365526114

paddyland · 03-06-2010 9:51am

Ivor Callely, along with Bertie Ahern, is the reason years ago Dublin had a dearth of taxis, resulting in long queues every night, and rampant overcharging, etc. He is responsible for negotiating with one of the taxi unions what amounted basically to a closed cartel, creating immense problems for Dublin city and it's citizens. Ivor himself owned a large number of taxi plates, and so benefitted personally from the artificial cap he himself helped to negotiate.

We all know the problems that caused, and we all know the grossly and wilfully irresponsible way that Noel Dempsey, another FF toadie, has turned the industry over to the complete opposite situation, where there are now far too many taxis, rampant illegality, and desperation for the few honest operators who have not already left in despair.

Ivor was carrying on this corruption over a decade ago, and it is quite a few years since Paddy the Plasterer did a few jobs on Ivor's house free of charge, causing a scandal that eventually saw Ivor lose his Dáil seat. This man is a serial corruption bunny. Everything he does reeks of rotten ethics. He is the polar opposite of what a public representative should be.

So why does FF the Bertie Party allow him to continue to operate in political circles? Does he, like Liam Lawlor, have some dirt on the party as a whole, or on Bertie or Cowen particularly?

THIS, ladies and gentlemen, is your wonderful FF party.

jmayo · 03-06-2010 10:19am

Nijmegen wrote: »

Who the feck thought it would be a good idea that politicians and senior civil servants get to set their own pay and conditions?

I think it was the politicans and senior civil servants :rolleyes:

bamboozle wrote: »

...
To be honest i just wonder what Ivor has on Bertie that Bertie felt obliged to appoint him to the seanad.

Probably knows about some of the same skeletons that the flynns know about.
After all bertie did bring bev "beaker" flynn back into the fold before he resigned as leader.

Note he did not resign from the party or his Dáil seat as some eejits think and thus should not be swaning around as if he has retired altogether.

henryporter wrote: »

Irish Tims yesterday: 'In March he handed back a cheque for €3,987, stating he wished his expenses and allowances to reflect his actual expenses'.

WFT:eek: Surely he made a claim for the expenses, and then received the cheque, not the other way around.

Probably knew the game was up after all the stuff came out about o'donoghue and tried a bit of damage limitation.

BTW I remember being told by accountant that I could only charge expenses against tax from office to location of work and not from actual home to location of work as it contravened tax regulations.

So does this scam by ivor scumbag have any tax implications or is it just outright fraud on his employer, i.e. the Irish state ?

FlutterinBantam · 03-06-2010 10:20am

Only one outcome can come out of this.

Callelly has to go, or be told to go, in my opinion,based on what I have heard.

A crazy situation in the current economic climate.

And when all the dust settles sort out this expenses stuff for once and for all.

Colm R · 03-06-2010 11:59am

As a Taoiseach nominee, is Cowen able to remove him?

Bock the Robber · 03-06-2010 2:44pm

walshb · 03-06-2010 3:21pm

Apparently Dublin TDs get a monthly allowance of 1000 Euro for Travel&Accommodation.

Okay, what accommodation? Practically nile, so that leaves 1000 Euro to spend on
travel? So, roughly 200 miles driving a day for 28 days would cover this

I barely cover 200 miles per week, and I know of no person who drives
200 miles per day.

This country's politic is despicable and being ran by despicable people.

Coillte_Bhoy · 03-06-2010 4:02pm

Bock the Robber wrote: »

How can an unelected Senator have a constituency office?

Doesnt matter wherther he elected or not as senators don't represent constituencies as such.

Bock the Robber · 03-06-2010 4:08pm

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

Doesnt matter wherther he elected or not as senators don't represent constituencies as such.

That's my point. Ivor has no business telling the Senate he travels to his constituency office in Dublin, since he has no constituency.

ART6 · 03-06-2010 4:15pm

This case prompts a thought. What's to stop one of our squeaky clean, dedicated politicians buying a house in New Zealand and claiming it as his first home? Could become very rich in a year on unvouchered expenses:p

FINGAL FAN · 03-06-2010 5:12pm

Callally is some scumbag but why is he not told to walk the plank over what amounts to criminallity . This should be referred to the police not some gang of his mates and if found to be claiming mileage from Cork that he didnt do and overnights while sleeping in Clontarf prosecute him . Thats what would happen to the rest of us so why not to him ?.
Always felt he has something on Mr.Bartholomew Ahern to get himself onto the Seaned gravy train . Love to know what it is .

bog master · 03-06-2010 7:23pm

In my mind, this whole controversey is very simple. It should be investigated by whom , I dont know, and if it is determined that he falsely named Cork as his residence while claiming expenses for that abode, he should be arrested and charged and tried with fraud.

No simple resignation or being sacked, fraud is a crime.

sceptre · 03-06-2010 7:27pm

As usual, as soon as I see "scum" in a a post that isn't to do with unwanted pondlife growth I stop reading. I doubt I'm alone. Overuse makes the word worth nothing.

aDeener · 03-06-2010 7:33pm

jmayo wrote: »

Correction as you have told us all you are Staunch ff.

Oh this has you furious, but what about ahern, flynn, haughey, o'donoghue, o'dea, harney (as good as ff), burke, lawlor, fahy, callely part I ?

Did any of that sh** make you furious ?
What am I saying :rolleyes:
if it had you not be on here crowing that the other parties were shambolic, had plans that scared you, weren't worthy of voters and ff was the only party to vote for.

BTW it is the ones in ff who have been remiss in getting their own house in order.
So kindly look in your own mirror before lambasting others to do so.
At least other parties kick people out for what is seen as power for the course within the soldiers of dysentery.

It is not the fault of any Dail committee that hasn't enforced some level of ethical standards, the party itself (and it's members) should have standards and ethics to start with.

Instead your party are have been shown time and again as a bunch of self serving greedy unethical gombeens with tendencies towards outright corruption.

PS I am not a member of any party, but I will openly admit I despise what ff stand for and what they have done to this country since the days of haughey.

no, no shes not

Liam Byrne · 03-06-2010 7:44pm

sceptre wrote: »

As usual, as soon as I see "scum" in a a post that isn't to do with unwanted pondlife growth I stop reading. I doubt I'm alone. Overuse makes the word worth nothing.

It's hardly posters' fault that it has become so prevalent and appropriate ?

We didn't know the first time that we ever used it that it would become such an accurate description; we thought we'd only be using it once.

I'd much prefer not to be using a word like that to describe so many of our (usually FF) politicians, however there's certainly an element of "if the cap fits..."

And far too many caps are fitting these days.....

sceptre · 03-06-2010 7:51pm

Liam Byrne wrote: »

It's hardly posters' fault that it has become so prevalent and appropriate ?

We didn't know the first time that we ever used it that it would become such an accurate description; we thought we'd only be using it once.

I'd much prefer not to be using a word like that to describe so many of our (usually FF) politicians, however there's certainly an element of "if the cap fits..."

And far too many caps are fitting these days.....

View still stands.

Hawkie · 03-06-2010 9:30pm

not that it would come at any surprise at this stage...Mr. Callely is a permanent daily visitor to Westwood Clontaf...don't think the port tunnel stretches to west cork yet.

Liam Byrne · 03-06-2010 9:48pm

sceptre wrote: »

View still stands.

As does mine.

I remember when Ireland used to have a murder every 5 years or so, and if it happened it was a major shock.

Now it happens every second week; doesn't stop us calling them murderers.

goat2 · 04-06-2010 1:05am

where in west cork is this humble home he has built at the taxpayer expense, this is shocking

dan_d · 04-06-2010 8:01am

And the story rumbles on.......
http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/cowen-demands-explanation-from-second-senator-over-expenses-460320.html
You'd wonder how long these claims have been going on for wouldn't you?? And we just know it would have continued unabated if the expensese hadn't been published online. Amazing when the UK Gov looked for cuts, one of their first stops was at Minister's expenses. And when we looked for cuts, we looked everywhere but at expenses and TD's incomes.
Sometimes I just despair...

bamboozle · 04-06-2010 8:34am

dan_d wrote: »

And the story rumbles on.......
http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/cowen-demands-explanation-from-second-senator-over-expenses-460320.html
You'd wonder how long these claims have been going on for wouldn't you?? And we just know it would have continued unabated if the expensese hadn't been published online. Amazing when the UK Gov looked for cuts, one of their first stops was at Minister's expenses. And when we looked for cuts, we looked everywhere but at expenses and TD's incomes.
Sometimes I just despair...

so Larry butler gets 20k extra for claiming to be living in Carlow/Kilkenny

that's €1,666 per month, or as the Seanad sits on average 85 days per year that's €235 per sitting of the seanad assuming this lowlife has a 10% attendance record, as he also has a house in foxrock even if he is travelling up from Carlow his accommodation is covered so he has 235 quid on average to cover his petrol costs.

bamboozle · 04-06-2010 8:37am

sceptre wrote: »

As usual, as soon as I see "scum" in a a post that isn't to do with unwanted pondlife growth I stop reading. I doubt I'm alone. Overuse makes the word worth nothing.

i dunno in this instance use of the word scum is an insult to unwanted podlife growth having to be likened to the lowlife, low moral, greedy, corrupt disgrace of a public representative that is Callely.

Nijmegen · 04-06-2010 8:58am

Would I be the only person thinking that if our TD's had to show as many receipts for expenses as they do in the UK we would be looking at some of their expenses having gone on moats, flower pots and porn?

zootroid · 04-06-2010 9:07am

According to the news this morning he is looking at being expelled from FF.

Callely faces FF parliamentary party expulsion

Senator Ivor Callely faces expulsion from the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party after an investigation was launched into his expense claims.

The party's Chief Whip, John Curran, is to propose a motion to the next meeting of the parliamentary party that the whip be removed from Senator Callely, without prejudice, pending the completion of the investigation.

This controversy began on Sunday, with the revelation that Dublin based Senator Ivor Callely had been claiming travel and subsistence expenses to Leinster House from his other residence in Co Cork.

Yesterday afternoon, after receiving a written statement from the Senator, the Members Interests Committee of the Seanad confirmed there was sufficient evidence to sustain a complaint under the Ethics in Public Office Act.

The Committee is to receive legal advice, as well as more information about the expenses rules, before meeting again the week after next to get the inquiry under way.

Then at 9pm yesterday Fianna Fáil issued a statement noting the Committee's decision, and repeating that the matter is being taken seriously by the party, and that Senator Callely must deal with it 'comprehensively and transparently'.

A Fianna Fáil spokesman said 'strenuous efforts' had been made to contact Senator Callely to inform him of the decision but without success.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that a second senator has claimed travel and accommodation expenses from an address outside of that listed on the Fianna Fáil website.

Senator Larry Butler, whose official address is in Foxrock in Co Dublin, has said that since been elected to the Seanad in 2007 he has lived in Graiguenamanagh in Co Kilkenny.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0604/callelyi.html

It looks like FF are looking to put some distance between them and another scandal. While this is welcome, and portrays a positive message about FF not tolerating this type of corruption anymore, a cynic might view this as being more to do with FF's image rather than what he did was inherently wrong. I for one will not be satisfied until he faces charges and is brought before a court. There are too many incidents where it feels like there is one law for politicians and one law for everyone else. Simply repaying the money will not suffice either.

funnyname · 04-06-2010 9:19am

He might be expelled but he won't be gone from the party too long based on what's happened in the past.

It'll be a case of let it die down for a while and then you can rejoin and it'll be like you never left us.

mike65 · 04-06-2010 9:38am

Senator Larry Butler has claimed about 20,000 I think over the last 3 years.

Liam Byrne · 04-06-2010 9:40am

zootroid wrote: »

a cynic might view this as being more to do with FF's image rather than what he did was inherently wrong

Compare and contrast :

a) FF members of the Dáil who take the mick on expenses
b) FF members of the Seanad who take the mick on expenses

Anyone know what the difference might possibly be, bearing in mind the slim majority that FF have and their continued reluctance to hold the by-elections that are long overdue ?

They're very selective about who they require ethics from, aren't they ?

And didn't Callely steal Cowen's thunder on some budget day or other ?

joseph brand · 04-06-2010 10:07am

'We need change now'

Change? The son of a gangster? Same party?

He also speaks of his hopes to obtain employment and "feel secure in my own home".

In a recession, the unemployed are not concerned with security. It's a lot more important to get work. Security is always a major concern for those well off.

Maybe he fears for his welfare since his father is a gangster hated by most of the country.

zootroid · 04-06-2010 10:29am

funnyname wrote: »

He might be expelled but he won't be gone from the party too long based on what's happened in the past.

It'll be a case of let it die down for a while and then you can rejoin and it'll be like you never left us.

Very true.

Which is why I would like to see him charged. Until politicians see there are very real consequences for their actions, we will continue to see such abuses (when they eventually become public)

bamboozle · 04-06-2010 10:39am

zootroid wrote: »

Very true.

Which is why I would like to see him charged. Until politicians see there are very real consequences for their actions, we will continue to see such abuses (when they eventually become public)

we also need an expense system that is 100% fully vouched. These guys have shown they are not honest enough for any other kind of system.

Ash.J.Williams · 04-06-2010 10:46am

To think that if poxy broke underpaid ME somehow ended up in Cork tonight, and tomorrow I had work to do in Dublin, my boss would laugh at me for attempting to charge milage from Cork....unless of course I was on leave and it was an emergency.

zootroid · 04-06-2010 10:57am

Liam Byrne wrote: »

Compare and contrast :

a) FF members of the Dáil who take the mick on expenses
b) FF members of the Seanad who take the mick on expenses

Anyone know what the difference might possibly be, bearing in mind the slim majority that FF have and their continued reluctance to hold the by-elections that are long overdue ?

They're very selective about who they require ethics from, aren't they ?

And didn't Callely steal Cowen's thunder on some budget day or other ?

Good point. There was a huge reluctance in the Dail to speak out on expenses when there was the controversy surrounding John O'Donoghue

jmayo · 04-06-2010 11:04am

dan_d wrote: »

And the story rumbles on.......
http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/cowen-demands-explanation-from-second-senator-over-expenses-460320.html
You'd wonder how long these claims have been going on for wouldn't you?? And we just know it would have continued unabated if the expensese hadn't been published online. Amazing when the UK Gov looked for cuts, one of their first stops was at Minister's expenses. And when we looked for cuts, we looked everywhere but at expenses and TD's incomes.
Sometimes I just despair...

This came out due to journalists making requests under FOI and getting the info and then going through them with fine tooth comb.
They are working through the lot of them and more will surely follow.
There is rumour of female TD being next in the revelations.

AFAIK there is one Dublin ff TD that has residence out in Meath since he can get better expenses by living out there.
Once you are outside something like 15 miles of the Dáil the expenses ratchet up.

mike65 · 04-06-2010 11:16am

Good stuff, this did the Telegraph no harm across the water. Hopefully it'll be a long hot summer for our betters.

nohopengn · 04-06-2010 11:22am

jmayo wrote: »

This came out due to journalists making requests under FOI and getting the info and then going through them with fine tooth comb.
They are working through the lot of them and more will surely follow.
There is rumour of female TD being next in the revelations.

I wonder how what form of punishment will be introduced for those found guilty......?

will it simply be party exclusion, fines or will the Gov introduce new penalties - I'd like to see something similar to that in Canada....

Jaysoose · 04-06-2010 11:37am

nohopengn wrote: »

I wonder how what form of punishment will be introduced for those found guilty......?

will it simply be party exclusion, fines or will the Gov introduce new penalties - I'd like to see something similar to that in Canada....

I think criminal proceedings should be brought against anybody defrauding the state, no other outcome is acceptable. This is corruption plain and simple and if we as a people allow this to continue then we get everything we deserve.

gandalf · 04-06-2010 11:41am

Jaysoose wrote: »

I think criminal proceedings should be brought against anybody defrauding the state, no other outcome is acceptable. This is corruption plain and simple and if we as a people allow this to continue then there is no hope for this country.

I agree with you on this. No matter what way Ivor or any of the others who come out of the woodwork spin it you have one residence and falsely representing a holiday home as your main residence should be considered a serious fraud against the state.

He should be made pay back the expenses, fined heavily, forced to resign and barred from holding public office ever again at a minimum.

PeterIanStaker · 04-06-2010 11:55am

http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0604/callelyi.html

He "faces expulsion" but I feel it'll be like Beverly Pooper Scooper Flynn and he'll be let rejoin in a few months when everyone has forgotten about it:rolleyes:

Jaysoose · 04-06-2010 11:56am

gandalf wrote: »

I agree with you on this. No matter what way Ivor or any of the others who come out of the woodwork spin it you have one residence and falsely representing a holiday home as your main residence should be considered a serious fraud against the state.

He should be made pay back the expenses, fined heavily, forced to resign and barred from holding public office ever again at a minimum.

Agreed,

Im sick and tired of living in a country were the elected representatives are so blatantly corrupt, the minute bertie ahern was allowed to slither onto the back bench after b**l****ting his way throught the tribunal (which cost millions of euro with no outcome) and pocketing god knows how much money the game was up.

There has to be some kind of consequence for these people and we cannot let them just steal money from the state its past a joke.

nohopengn · 04-06-2010 11:59am

Jaysoose wrote: »

I think criminal proceedings should be brought against anybody defrauding the state, no other outcome is acceptable. This is corruption plain and simple and if we as a people allow this to continue then we get everything we deserve.

Totally agree Jaysoose - Irish people do need to stand up and demand that corruption (in all it's forms) be properly dealt with. 1. Repayment of monies 2. Party expulsion 3. Criminal proceedings.

IMHO TDs', Bankers etc. would not have acted as they did, if we had a proper system in place.

The 'Bertie' ways of doing business have to leave this country once and for all

bubbaloo · 04-06-2010 12:03pm

This just angers me so much. If I had to claim expenses I would have to produce a receipt. I have always thought mileage was a joke anyway - why not just reimburse the cost of a tank of petrol/diesel?? That is the only cost they have had to encounter - and the cars are probably paid for anyway, so there is no cost to them for "wear and tear"!

I'm a low paid public servant (less than 27k) and I have had to endure cuts like other low paid employees in the country and yet this f***er gets to swan around with his head held high!! Aaaarrgghhh!!! :mad::mad::mad:

Ivor Callely Expenses

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