Minister for Justice must ensure full investigation of Callely by Garda Commissioner

Government tackles social welfare fraud but lets Callely ‘off the hook’

Reports in today’s (Tuesday) media outlining measures being taken to tackle social welfare fraud are in stark contrast to the Government inaction in bringing Senator Ivor Callely to account following similar accusations of fraud against him, according to Fine Gael Seanad Spokesperson on Justice, Senator Eugene Regan.

Senator Regan went on to say that it is high time that Minister Ahern acted and ensured the matter is investigated by the Garda Commissioner.

“Reports in today’s media outlining legislative provisions that are being used by the Department of Social Protection to tackle fraudulent social welfare claims, only serve to illustrate that there is one set of rules to deal with fraud among the public and another for Government parties.

“I find it remarkable that Government would go to such lengths to investigate fraudulent social welfare claims, yet takes no action to investigate allegations of fraud and forgery where Senator Callely is concerned.

“The damage Senator Callely has done to the public perception of politics and politicians is immense and he continues to bring politics into further disrepute by refusing to comment on the allegations against him.

“No rational explanation has been provided by the Minister for Justice or the Garda Commissioner as to why a Garda investigation has not been carried out into Senator Callely’s €81,000 expenses claim or the latest revelations. The suggestion that a formal complaint has to be made to the Gardaí before it can take action has no basis in law. If an attack takes place in the street where a person is brutally injured, the Guards do not have to wait until a complaint is made to pursue the matter. The same applies here.

“There is an onus on the Minister for Justice to ensure that an investigation into the allegations of fraud and forgery against Senator Callely, in relation to all his expenses claims, is carried out without delay. Minister Ahern had no problem directing the Garda Commissioner to carry out an investigation where he considered the leaking of information in the Trevor Sargent case affected him. Clearly he has the capacity to direct a Garda investigation into claims of fraudulent practices by Senator Callely and if he is to fulfil his duty in upholding the law as Minster for Justice he should do just that.”

Listen to Eugene on Morning Ireland this Morning Speaking about Ivor Callely

http://www.rte.ie/news/morningireland/player.html?20100715,2787844,2787861,real,209

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Former Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald

I wish to dissociate myself from the ill-informed comments made in the Dáil yesterday by my Party colleague Deputy Varadkar, about the former Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald. 

As I stated in the Seanad today, Dr. FitzGerald transformed Irish political culture, our economic thinking and the way we viewed our relations with Northern Ireland and Great Britain. 

It was under Garret FitzGerald’s Governments in the 80s that through a policy of fiscal rectitude, the public finances were stabilised after the reckless economic policies of the former Taoiseach Charles Haughey. That policy of fiscal rectitude ensured that the hyper-inflation rate of over 20% was reduced to around 3%, when Garret left office, laying the essential basis for recovery, economic growth and order in the public finances. 

Garret FitzGerald, through his constitutional crusade, transformed North South relations and the relationship of this country with Britain, which eventually saw the claim on Northern Ireland reversed in the Good Friday Agreement. The introduction of reciprocity in voting rights for British citizens living in Ireland was especially important in transforming the relationship between Ireland and Great Britain.

This constitutional crusade also eventually led to the introduction of divorce in Ireland. 

Dr. FitzGerald was to the forefront in establishing Irish membership of the European Union and as the first Irish President of the ‘European Council’ enhanced immeasurably the stature of this country in the early days of EU membership. 

Garret FitzGerald was not only an exceptional person after he left politics, as some Senators suggested today, he was an exceptional leader and Taoiseach of this country.       

Morning Ireland interview

Yesterday, I spoke on RTE’s Morning Ireland radio show with Aine Lawlor about Minister for Defence Willie O’Dea’s false statement. You can download the interview here