I’m back from the land of serrano ham, great weather and good company (fully paid for by myself) but while I was away I did catch Ivor Callely’s statement to the Seanad as he made it.  It’s on video if you missed it!

I have had a number of people get in touch about the matter making sure I knew about it (I did) and filling in a few details. Some of you remember my previous interest on Ivor’s painting dilemmas.

Many thanks to the feathered friend who has pointed out that the Senator’s Cork residence is not listed in his members interests declaration in 2008 and 2009.  The house is referred to frequently in the press as the Senator’s holiday home and it’s on the market at the moment for about €650,000. See the particulars here.

So if it’s Ivor’s principal residence (or at least it was while he was recovering from the defeat in the last general election or flipping it for the expenses) why did Senator Callely not declare it in his entry into the register of members interests?

Update

The property may well be listed as being registered in Mrs Callely’s name however the Senator refers to it today as ‘our holiday home’

“I had go get out of Clontarf. Fairly soon after the election I went to Cork, to our holiday home, and I stayed there. I was there when Bertie appointed me to the Senate.

“As far as I was concerned, that was where I was living. I didn’t want to come back to Clontarf. I stayed there in Cork for a considerable period of time.

“I may have been up and down for the Senate. I may have spent a night in Clontarf, or somewhere else in Dublin. But, as far as I was concerned, I was based in Cork.

The Sunday Times also refer to ‘his holiday home’.

The matter of joint ownerships of properties is covered by the members interest legislation but spousal ownership is not. It’s a bit convenient?

Update 2

See this review earlier this year of the Callely’s property portfolio.