The Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee has expressed concern about what should become of sitting tribunals if their sole members were at any stage unable to continue with their duties.
The committee chairman, Mr Jim Mitchell TD, raised the matter at a meeting of the DIRT inquiry sub-committee, which is deliberating on the comparative merits of tribunals of inquiry and Oireachtas committees of inquiry.
The Attorney General, Mr Michael McDowell SC, who was present to advise the committee, said he felt it would be possible to pick up the threads if a sole member were to "keel over".
Mr Sean Ardagh TD asked if it would be possible to set up separate inquiries for all the different issues which had emerged at the Flood tribunal in the three years since it began so that the proceedings could be concluded sooner rather than later.
The Attorney General said the tribunal was operating to terms of reference which had been broadened twice. He saw no reason why in the future the Oireachtas should not appoint three people to a tribunal and allow them to share the work. However, he felt the terms of reference already set for tribunals such as that chaired by Mr Justice Flood could not now be "reined in".