Legal advisors have decided that new correspondence sent to the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee by an official in the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation cannot be shown to members.
The committee met today to discuss the new correspondence sent to it by Gerry Ryan, who previously sent a file to members alleging tax evasion by former politicians.
It is understood the PAC was told it could be open to legal action if the material was circulated.
Mr Ryan's new letter relates to an investigation by Revenue into Ansbacher account holders.
The new correspondence relates to the tax affairs of a number of named individuals.
It is understood a vote took place this morning, and two members of the committee, Mary Lou McDonald and Shane Ross, voted for the material to be shown to them.
Mr Ross said the names could be redacted.
The committee voted not to circulate the material.
Mr Ryan wrote to members of the PAC last year and sent on a file, which alleged tax evasion by former politicians.
Head of the Revenue Commissioner Josephine Feehily said all documents and information referred to them by him were fully examined and followed up.
Sinn Féin's Mary Lou McDonald named former politicians in the file in the Dáil last December.
All those named and relatives denied any wrongdoing.
Ms McDonald was later found to have abused her Dáil privilege by naming them, following complaints about her conduct to the Dáil Committee on Procedure and Privileges.
