The chairman of the Dail Public Accounts Committee John McGuiness has confirmed that it has received a document containing a series of allegations concerning tax evasion by a number of senior politicians. He said the committee was taking legal advice on how best to pursue the matter.

The Irish Times reported this morning that a serving civil servant had provided a lengthy dossier to the committee in recent days making allegations of substantial tax evasion over an extended period of time involving, among others, senior politicians.

Allegations are also made in the dossier about a former judge.

The senior civil servant has also maintained that various ministers over recent years and a number of State agencies failed to fully investigate the allegations.

The civil servant indicated that he had obtained evidence of the alleged tax evasion while engaging in official duties a number of years ago.

The dossier sent to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) also contained a number of exhibits, including what appear to be copies of bank records.

When contacted by The Irish Times yesterday at the Government department in which he works, the civil servant declined to comment.