Legal advice highlights several obstacles to investigation into alleged tax evasion

Legal advice to the Public Accounts Committee has highlighted several obstacles to any investigation into the dossier alleging tax evasion by some former politicians.

Following a private meeting this evening, PAC Chairman John McGuinness said he must now study the options open to the committee.

He said none of them are clear cut and the Committee requires significantly more information on the allegations.

The fact that the Dossier was sent to the members of the PAC and not the Committee itself suggests it may not be a privileged document.

That means it might not be covered by the Whisteblower Protection Legislation, Mr McGuinness said.

However, he said the PAC could possibly ask the Comptroller and Auditor General to compile a report on the allegations.

The other options might include putting a motion before the Dáil and Seanad to get the Oireachtas to commence an investigation.

Earlier, the Dáil heard claims that the document alleging tax evasion contains names of former politicians from Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Progressive Democrats.

Sinn Féin Deputy Leader Mary Lou McDonald said these were household names.

Ms McDonald asked the Taoiseach if he believed that whistleblower Gerry Ryan was subjected to political obstruction during his investigation into tax evasion.

Enda Kenny said Ms McDonald was prejudging Mr Ryan’s witness statement.

He said he did not believe that Minister for Jobs Richard Bruton was part of a pattern of political obstruction.

Mr Ryan’s documents were now a matter for the Public Accounts Committee, the Taoiseach said.