The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is to take the unprecedented step of seeking legal powers to force two former Rehab CEOs to appear.

The Committee is to seek the powers of compellability to secure the attendance of Frank Flannery and his successor Angela Kerins.

The decision comes after lawyers for the two former chief executives told TDs they still had reservations about attending.

The Committee chairman John McGuinness says the committee does not bear personal grudges against Rehab or its former chiefs.

Last month, both Ms. Kerins and Mr. Flannery declined to appear before the Committee.

Ms. Kerins' solicitors previously told the Committee that she would not be attending on medical advice due to ill-health.

While Mr. Flannery said while he was willing to attend the PAC, " the agenda as set out has left me with no alternative but to decline the current invitation".

The Committee was also told that Ms. Kerins is threatening legal action if further details of her salary are published.

Newstalk's political editor Shane Coleman told the Pat Kenny Show that this latest move by the PAC is not surprising.