Fine Gael MEP Seán Kelly has claimed rental expenses since at least 2017 for a constituency office owned by a party colleague.
The presidential hopeful wouldn’t say if the property’s ownership by a Fine Gael ex-minister of state influenced the decision to base his office in Clonmel – 150 kilometres from his county Kerry home. He did however say he had been looking for “a more central location”.
“I felt it was appropriate to move my office from Limerick to a more central location and was looking for an office in Cashel or Thurles,” adding, “however I couldn’t find a suitable one. When the office in Clonmel became available, I was very pleased as that was the next best central location," Kelly told The Ditch.
Kelly, it is estimated, has claimed more than €440,000 in expenses from the European Parliament over the past eight years for the cost of running the Clonmel office.
Ex-Fine Gael presidential candidate Mairead McGuinness, who recently dropped out of the campaign over health concerns, faced controversy last month after the Irish Times reported she claimed rental expenses for an office she owns while serving as an MEP.
Members of the European Parliament are entitled to a monthly allowance of up to €4,950 to cover the costs of running an office in their home country.
Fine Gael MEP Sean Kelly claims this allowance according to the “transparency” page on his website.
“The general allowance is paid to cover the costs involved in running a constituency office including rent… I rent an office at 43a Upper Gladstone Street, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary. The allowance is € 4,563 per month (as of 2020),” says Kelly on his site.
"I pay rent on it monthly by standing order,” he told The Ditch.
Ex-Fine Gael TD Tom Hayes, along with his wife, bought the Clonmel premises in 2003 and used it as his constituency office.
Hayes – a minister of state from 2013 to 2016 – lost his seat at the 2016 general election.
Less than eighteen months later Hayes had found a tenant for his Gladstone Street property – Fine Gael MEP Seán Kelly.
