PAC to use legal powers to force former Rehab CEOs to appear

The Committee is to seek the powers of compellability to secure the attendance of Frank Flannery and his successor Angela Kerins.

The decision comes after lawyers for the two former chief executives told TDs they still had reservations about attending.

Last month, both Ms. Kerins and Mr. Flannery declined to appear before the Committee.

Ms. Kerins' solicitors previously told the Committee that she would not be attending on medical advice due to ill-health.

While Mr. Flannery said while he was willing to attend the PAC, ” the agenda as set out has left me with no alternative but to decline the current invitation”.

The Committee was also told that Ms. Kerins is threatening legal action if further details of her salary are published.

The Committee chairman John McGuinness says the committee does not bear personal grudges against Rehab or its former chiefs.

“We have a job of work to do – it is set out clearly in relation to the spending of public money” he said.

“Some of that money went to deal with the issues that arose that we dealt with over the last two meetings – and we have a right within our remit to pursue the 95 million euro and was it was spent”.

“It is as simple as that” he added.