Lawyers for former Fianna Fáil minister Ray McSharry have told the Public Accounts Committee it has one week to hand over the Ansbacher dossier.

They say it is required in order to allow Mr McSharry to take steps to vindicate his good name.

The legal action comes after Sinn Féin deputy Mary Lou McDonald used Dáil privilege to name a group of former politicians mentioned in the dossier, which alleges the use of offshore accounts to avoid paying tax.

Group political correspondent with the Irish Independent Daniel McConnell told Newstalk Breakfast the Ansbacher dossier was given to each member of the committee individually rather than the PAC, so it is unlikely to hand it over:

Earlier this week, the former Tánaiste Mary Harney made an official complaint about Mary Lou McDonald's use of Dáil privilege.

The former minister and leader of the Progressive Democrats has written to the Dáil's disciplinary committee, complaining about comments made by Deputy McDonald last week.

Last week the Sinn Féin TD used Dáil privilege to claim that Ms Harney had stopped an internal inquiry into tax evasion, after it had found alleged evidence against her party's founder Des O'Malley.

Ms Harney denies the claims, while Mr O'Malley denies ever having an account with Ansbacher, the bank at the centre of the claims.