RTÉ News has learned that legal advice has been sought on new correspondence sent to the Public Accounts Committee by an official in the Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation, who previously sent a file to members alleging tax evasion by former politicians.

The clerk of the committee has informed members that Gerry Ryan, who was the authorised officer under the companies act for an investigation into the Ansbacher accounts, had been in contact.

His letter relates to an investigation by Revenue into Ansbacher account holders.

The new correspondence relates to the tax affairs of a number of named individuals.

Legal advice had been sought about the privilege attached to the document if it was to be circulated.

The clerk informed members that Mr Ryan's correspondence would not be made available to them until after the legal issues were considered.

A parliamentary legal advisor will advise the committee on the matter tomorrow and the letter can then by inspected by members.

Mr Ryan wrote to members of the Public Accounts Committee last year and sent on a file which alleged tax evasion by former politicians.

The head of the Revenue Commissioner, Josephine Feehily, said that all documents and information referred to them by him were fully examined and followed up.

Sinn Féin's Mary Lou McDonald named former politicians in the file in the Dáil last December.

All those named and relatives denied any wrongdoing.

She was later found to have abused her Dáil privilege by naming them, following complaints about her conduct to the Dáil Committee on Procedure and Privileges.