This evening the Seanad Committee on Members Interests released a statement outlining the terms of their investigation into complaints against four members of the Oireachtas.

I’m putting the basis of the complaints as I understand them in brackets beside each member being investigated – Ivor Callely, (phones etc.) Ann Ormonde (claiming from Waterford whilst holiday home there being renovated) Larry Butler (claiming mileage from Carlow while having house in Dublin) and Rónán Mullen.

Can we confirm the nature of the complaint against Senator Mullen? There were threats to make a complaint by the People Before Profit Alliance (aka The Socialist Workers Party) last month – over something Rónán Mullen said – not that he had done anything. Mullen said that some elected member told him he could claim from Galway where he was from. I’ve had a look at the expenses but can’t see where he has done so – as his mileage for 2008 for example was much lower than other Galway Senator’s. So are the Seanad investigating a spurious complaint from the SWP/PBPA ? Or is there more?

The email sent to Senator Mullen in July is below – I will add to this post as more information becomes available and I have sought the text of the actual complaint made to the Seanad.

Dear Senator Mullen

On RTE’s Drivetime program of Thursday 3rd June 2010 you claimed that an “elected representative” advised you that you should claim that you were living in Galway for the purposes of claiming expenses. According to your account this person stated that “if you were in the Seanad long enough you could get a house out of it”. You have stated that you will “take to the grave” the name of this person.

As a citizen of this state and a person who ran for election to Dublin City Council I find this unacceptable. You clearly have knowledge of a person who advised you to carry out an unethical act and your silence is protecting this person. Your stated reason for this is that this person may not have been serious however it is not your place to make this determination.

For too long wrongdoing has been protected in Ireland by a wall of secrecy. If you do not give the name of this person to the Seanad Committee on Members Interests by Friday 30th July I will make a complaint against you. On Tuesday 18/07/2010 I will contact over 1000 members of both the local and national press, to advise them that I have sent you this letter.

Yours sincerely

__________________________________

Martin O’Sullivan

See also Anthony Sheridan’s post on the original interview given by Senator Mullen regarding the advice he was given.

Update – 1.10am 10/8

Mary Minihan in The Irish Times confirms the complainant and nature of complaint made against Senator Mullen and his initial response.

… the committee will also write to Independent Senator Rónán Mullen, asking him to respond to a complaint lodged by People Before Profit Alliance member Martin O’Sullivan.

Mr O’Sullivan’s complaint referred to an anecdote related by Mr Mullen on RTÉ’s Drivetime programme on June 3rd, when he said an elected representative had told him he should claim expenses from an address farther away than his actual address when he joined the Seanad. Mr O’Sullivan called on Mr Mullen to name the person.

Mr Mullen said the committee was doing good work and he would be happy to co-operate with it in any way he could.

“It’s one thing to take a view that it probably illustrated a certain attitude at the time, it’s another thing to put somebody else’s good reputation in issue. That would create a difficulty for me, in all honesty, but obviously I’ll look respectfully at what the committee are saying.”