The Dáil’s powerful Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is meeting this morning with Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy chairing in the absence of former Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley.
Mr Stanley resigned from Sinn Féin last weekend over its handling of a complaint made against him.
The complaint about Mr Stanley contained no criminal allegations, and he subsequently made a counter-complaint.
Sinn Féin has said he was advised by the party to go to the Garda with concerns he raised, and the party later referred the entire matter to the force.
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The party has decided to nominate Galway West TD Mairéad Farrell as the new chairperson of the PAC replacing Mr Stanley.
The move looks set to prompt a bitter political clash, with the Labour Party indicating that it will not facilitate the nomination while Government TDs have said they would not work with a new Sinn Féin chair of the PAC.
It is expected that the nomination will be discussed by the Dáil business committee on Thursday.
It is expected some members of the business committee will object to Ms Farrell’s appointment as PAC chairwoman.
Meanwhile, the PAC’s deputy chairperson Ms Murphy is chairing today’s committee meeting with the Charities Regulator.
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