embroiled in a controversy over expenses claims; their travel expenses seemed to have been used for travel expenses other than for constituency travel and journeys to the Dail, expenses were used for travelling to anti-household charge meetings. Joan Collins TD also admitted to using the expenses to campaign against the household charge, and said she would repay them. Richard Boyd Barrett did not claim travel expenses for travel outside his constituency and Seamus Healy did not use travel expenses for anti-household charge campaign meeting travel. It was subsequently confirmed by the Minister for Public Expenditure Brendan Howlin that they were entitled to claim travelling expenses for travel outside of their constituencies. The ULA and Socialist Party stated at the time that the story was a "manufactured controversy" and part of a "vindictive smear campaign by Independent Newspapers". Wallace controversy In June 2012 it was revealed that independent TD Mick Wallace had knowingly underdeclared VAT. While Wallace was not a member of the ULA, within the Technical Group he was known to be close to the ULA TDs, particularly Clare Daly. Seamus Healy, WUAG TD, immediately called for Wallace to resign his seat, describing his behaviour as "completely and absolutely wrong and unacceptable". Clare Daly, Socialist Party TD for Dublin North, refused to support the call for Wallace to stand down. Daly resigned from the Socialist Party on 31 August 2012. The party said "it believed Ms Daly had resigned because she placed more value on her political connection with Independent TD Mick Wallace than on the political positions and work of the Socialist Party." Daly stated that she intended to remain a member of the ULA as an independent. The Socialist Party responded with a statement on 3 September questioning her future membership as she had "already inflicted serious damage on herself, and some damage on the Socialist Party and the United Left Alliance". On 8 October 2012 Daly appeared on the Tonight with Vincent Browne programme on TV3 and was questioned on her reasons for resigning from the Socialist Party. She stated that "not enough attention was being put into...the building of the ULA" and referred to "plenty of reasons" over a long period. Daly also condemned "the actions" of Mick Wallace in avoiding payments of VAT. Departure of WUAG and the Socialist Party On 2 October 2012 the Workers and Unemployed Action Group withdrew from the United Left