The Public Accounts Committee is to apply to the Oireachtas for a compellability order to require former Rehab chief executives Angela Kerins and Frank Flannery appear before it.

The matter was discussed briefly at a meeting this morning of the public spending watchdog and an application to the Dáil Committee on Procedures and Privileges is expected within days.

It is the first time such an order has been sought under the new Oireachtas inquiries legislation which was enacted last year.

The Act required the CPP to set up its own procedures and protocols to determine how such orders would be dealt with and processed.

Yesterday it emerged that Ms Kerins has lodged a complaint with the Committee on Procedure and Privileges over her treatment during a previous PAC hearing.

It also emerged yesterday that Mr Flannery has written to the PAC to raise legal questions around eh the committee’s remit.

The move follows decisions taken separately by Ms Kerins and Mr Flannery not to appear a recent PAC hearing despite being requested to do so.

Ms Kerins wrote to the committee informing it that she was unwell and Mr Flannery informed the committee he would not attend the hearing.

The process could be completed within three weeks, resulting in bodies and individuals being compelled to appear at a Pac meeting before the summer recess.

More to follow.