Fianna Fáil TD Sean Fleming has confirmed that allegations of tax evasion being made by a senior civil servant involve both former and current government ministers and go back 30 years or more.
He said the allegations centre around tax evasion but include more recent claims that investigations into the matter were blocked from being completed.
He said each member of the committee, including himself, had received a letter this week outlining the allegations.
Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, Mr Fleming said PAC members were now taking legal advice on whether these allegations involve criminal wrongdoing.
He said in that instance they would be obliged by law to hand over the relevant information to gardaí for further investigation.
Mr Fleming said if this is not deemed to be a criminal matter then these would be considered protected disclosures.
He said members would then hand the documents over to the clerk of the PAC, making them "privileged papers" in the Oireachtas.
Mr Fleming said that tax evasion relating to off shore accounts was being alleged and the claims involved people connected with all parties.
He said hundreds of thousands of euro was involved but added that some of those against whom allegations had been made had since died.
The Irish Times reported some details of the alleged scheme today.
Minister for Health Leo Varadkar said tax evasion by anyone is not acceptable and there can be no tolerance of it.
He said he himself is tax compliant and he felt sure the PAC will investigate further.
Mr Varadkar also said there is now legislation in place to protect whistleblowers.
The allegations were made by a serving civil servant who sent the dossier under the new Protected Disclosure of whistleblowing legislation.
He uncovered the alleged tax evasion in the course of his official duties.
The civil servant also makes serious allegations that senior ministers and a number of State agencies failed to fully investigate his findings.
PAC Chairman John McGuinness said he believes this is the first disclosure to the PAC under the new legislation, and as such, it is taking a cautious approach and taking legal advice.
That legal advice will be discussed next Thursday.
Asked whether he had any knowledge of the matter this morning, Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin said he knew nothing about it, apart from what he read in the paper.
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