The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has been “fatally undermined” by the actions of former members, a Labour Party senator has claimed

Louth based Senator Ged Nash, who is a former PAC member, said the Angela Kerins Supreme Court ruling raised serious questions about TDs “playing the man rather than ball” during committee hearings.

Mr Nash said ex-PAC members John McGuinness, Mary Lou McDonald and Shane Ross would have to “account for their actions” in the wake of the ruling in favour of the former Rehab chief executive.

“The actions of Mary Lou McDonald and the actions of Shane Ross have potentially fatally undermined the public accounts committee,” Mr Nash told Independent.ie’s Floating Voter podcast.

“This really puts a question mark over the future operation of the Public Accounts Committee and other committees as well,” he added

Mr Nash said he raised his “unease” about the committee’s investigation into Rehab at the time of the hearings in 2014.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court signalled its intention to issue a declaration which will say the PAC acted “unlawfully” in its questioning of Ms Kerins.

A final ruling will be made the court in April when the court will decide if the former charity boss is entitled to damages.

Ms Kerins previously told the courts she tried to take her own life after she was grilled by the PAC over her €240,000 salary.