The cost of Michael D Higgins’ Presidential term is set to be examined by an Oireachtas committee next week - despite being warned doing so may be "unconstitutional".
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) agreed to the emergency meeting yesterday morning, putting the group on a collision course with the Government and Fianna Fáil leader Micheal Martin.
Some politicians fear an investigation will damage the integrity of the Presidential election.
Labour TD Alan Kelly is among those questioning whether the move is constitutional.
Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast, Deputy Kelly explained that the hearing - which he suggested has 'never been done before' - is happening only a day before the deadline for Presidential nominations.
He argued: "The real issue here is that once these questions are asked during an election campaign, you can't put the genie back in the box.
"If people want to play politics with this and ask certain questions next Tuesday... the answers will come out, they'll be part of a political campaign, they'll be used in a presidential election."
"For the [PAC] to be in the middle of that I think is wrong. I do not know if what we're doing is constitutional, and I think it's absolutely ridiculously wrong that we haven't allowed a few days to get legal advice on the matter."
'Red herring'
Fianna Fail TD Marc MacSharry, meanwhile, believes the hearing should go ahead.
He observed that the PAC is interested in examining the funding provided for the Presidential establishment - the accounting for which is overseen by the secretary-general of the Department of the Taoiseach.
In a letter to the PAC, secretary general Martin Fraser said the costs investigation would be "unconstitutional" and politically motivated.
Mr Fraser insisted that campaigning for next month's election is "fully underway", and that any public hearing "can only involve questions, answers and comments about one of the candidates in the election - President Higgins".
Deputy MacSharry, however, argued: "The constitutional argument is one that's a red herring in my view - the committee made the decision accordingly yesterday.
"Legal advice is not required on this occasion - I think that it is a big hullabaloo over nothing... This will proceed quite easily on Tuesday."
