PAC ‘knew’ Kerins probe was ‘off limits’

The Dáil Public Accounts Committee (PAC) knew, before former Rehab CEO Angela Kerins appeared before it two years ago that the manner in which it proposed to inquire into the affairs of the Rehab group was “off limits”, the High Court has been told.

Members of PAC knew or should have known of the standing orders governing its hearings and Ms Kerins’ side believed PAC also received legal advice in January 2014, one month before Ms Kerins’ appearance that it had no jurisdiction to question her as it proposed, John Rogers SC said.

His case was PAC had an agenda to “go after”, and impose accountability on, Ms Kerins and that had occurred in two public hearings of PAC on February 27 and April 10, 2014.