FORMER JUNIOR GOVERNMENT minister Ivor Callely remains in garda custody this morning following his arrest yesterday afternoon.
The former Fianna Fáil TD and Senator was arrested at his home in Clontarf yesterday in connection with an investigation into his use of fraudulent receipts. The 53-year-old had his detention period extended at midnight for a further twelve hours.
He is being held at Irishtown Garda Station in connection with breaches of section 26 Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001.
The claims relate to allegations that Callely used fraudulent receipts when claiming expenses for mobile phone kits as a TD in 2002. He was able to claim over €2,800 using headed notepaper for a company that went out of business in 1994.
Callely has claimed he did not know how this had happened and that he had withdrawn the claims and refunded the money. It is reported this morning in the Irish Independent that as part of their investigation gardaí searched three premises including his holiday home in west Cork yesterday.
The former Dublin Central TD served as a junior minister at the Department of Health under Bertie Ahern’s government before serving in the Department of Transport until 2005. He lost his Dáil seat in 2007 when he was appointed to the Seanad which he left in April of last year.
Gardaí are likely to either charge or release Callely later this afternoon or this evening.
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