INDEPENDENT Senator Ivor Callely has expressed “surprise” that he was not permitted to make a personal statement in the Seanad yesterday despite three separate attempts to do so.
The former Fianna Fáil Senator was seeking to address the House on the controversy over his expenses claims which led to his suspension by the Seanad last July.
The suspension followed a report from the Committee on Members’ Interests and was later deemed unconstitutional by the High Court, but this ruling is being appealed to the Supreme Court.
Mr Callely said he made a previous statement last June, but since then there had been “a litany of allegations” with other Senators calling for his resignation.
He said members of the committee seemed to be “jumping around like a cat on a hot tin roof, trying to block me”.
His first attempt to make a statement was on the order of business at 10.30am, but this was disallowed by Cathaoirleach Pat Moylan.
“All I was seeking was 10 minutes,” Mr Callely said. He said he had informed the Cathaoirleach in advance of the general content of his remarks as required under standing orders.
The Senator said he was “surprised” that this was considered insufficient: “He wanted me to give him an exact script of the explanation.” He had written back to Mr Moylan saying: “I do not have an exact script prepared,” but if his request was granted he would submit a draft.
Mr Callely wrote: “The content is to address issues that have been made as to my conduct during my membership of this House and warrant a personal explanation that otherwise may never be on the record.”
Mr Moylan replied, pointing out that Mr Callely was allowed to make a personal statement on June 2nd last, adding: “I am aware of nothing on the record of the House since then that would warrant the making of another statement.”
Having had his request disallowed on the order of business, he made another attempt at about noon to make a statement in a debate on proposed legislation.
“The Leas-Chathaoirleach Paddy Burke was prompted not to allow me speak,” Mr Callely said.
The House was then adjourned: “I kept talking, I continued to give my contribution.”
He spoke for a further 10 minutes to an empty House: “At that stage, I asked an usher and he informed me that the House had been suspended.”
The House returned a few minutes later and Independent Senator Joe O’Toole was called to speak. Mr Callely insisted he still had possession, but resumed his seat so as “not to be disruptive in the House”.
He took it that his speech was on the record of the House, but an Oireachtas official later told The Irish Times: "The House was suspended so it wouldn't have been recorded."
Mr Callely said: “I believe it was only right that I should make a statement, for the benefit of the members, the Seanad and, most importantly, the general public and the country, to clarify all the issues that have been raised.”
