Courts / Ireland / Report

Callely allowed to travel outside the country over Christmas

Summary

The High Court has varied the bail terms of former Fianna Fáil politician Ivor Callely, permitting him to temporarily leave the jurisdiction. Callely, who was jailed for five months in July after admitting to fraudulently claiming €4,207.45 in Oireachtas expenses via forged invoices, sought to travel to Northern Ireland and Scotland during the Christmas period. He is currently on bail pending a judicial review challenging the Minister's and Wheatfield Prison Governor's refusal to grant him temporary release or one-third enhanced remission. While the State opposed the variation, High Court President Nicholas Kearns agreed, noting Callely was not a flight risk. The Judge emphasized that this variation did not conclude the matter, referencing a recent judgment by Mr Justice Peter Kelly that rejected dissident republican Michael McKevitt's claim for one-third remission on a sentence for directing terrorism. That ruling clarified uncertainties regarding enhanced remission versus the standard one-quarter entitlement. Consequently, Mr Justice Kearns directed that Callely's judicial review action proceed in the first week of the new legal term in January. Callely alleges the Minister's decision is unfair, influenced by his high profile, and inconsistent with the treatment of other prisoners.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Callely allowed to travel outside the country over Christmas. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• Christmas Other
• 2014-12-16 Publication

Why: He claims he has been told by staff at Wheatfield Prison, he should not be in prison and is only being kept there because of his high profile. CNI source report

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Stage Sentence

Read the original CNI report