Ex-senator arrested over his expenses

A FORMER Irish senator who became a lightning rod for public disgust over politicians’ outrageous expense claims has been arrested over his submission of allegedly forged receipts from a long-dead company.

Detectives yesterday said Ivor Callely, 53, would be questioned on suspicion of using fake invoices, a crime with a maximum penalty of ten years in prison.

Despite being repeatedly pressed by journalists, Mr Callely has never offered a credible explanation for why he claimed €2,907 (£1,750) in expenses for bills supposedly issued by a small mobile phone provider from 2002 to 2005. The supposed supplier ceased business in 1994. An Irish newspaper’s freedom of information request exposed the claim in 2010. Mr Callely said he then refunded the money and didn’t know how the mistake happened.

At about the same time, another newspaper’s FOI request revealed Mr Callely had claimed more than €81,000 in expenses by saying he was commuting from his family’s holiday home in County Cork. He even claimed €140 a day when he stayed in his Dublin home.

He was suspended from office for 20 days, but sued the senate and won €17,000 for lost wages.

Mr Callely served 18 years as an MP and was appointed to the senate after he failed to win re-election in 2007.