Barrett Calls For Inquiry Into Wallace Tax Affairs

Ceann Comhairle Seán Barrett has written to the Chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on Members' Interests, Thomas Pringle, asking him to convene an inquiry into the controversy surrounding Wexford TD Mick Wallace's tax affairs.

Earlier today, Independent TD Catherine Murphy said that she would not be calling on Mr Wallace to resign despite his abmition that his company under declared VAT.

Deputy Murphy, who is Whip of the Technical Group, said that Mr Wallace was democratically elected and that it was not for any TD to second guess what people did at the ballot box.

"I completely disapprove of what he did. I'm saying that very clearly; other members of the technical group have said exactly the same thing," she said.

"Essentially that's what these Dáil committees are for is to look at it and bring forward, if it is deemed to be the right thing to do, something like a vote of censure.

"I am certainly open to that, once it goes through the proper procedures where somebody gets a fair hearing."

(H)