The Government is planning to review 60-year-old procedures on recognising honorary titles of ancient chieftainships that were first established before Ireland was colonised by Britain, a spokesman said.
The move comes after one chieftain has been stripped of his title and two others have been challenged and their credentials are under investigation after questions arose about their legitimacy.
Arts and Heritage Minister Ms Sile de Valera will announce plans for a special review committee in the near future, her spokesman said.
He said Ms de Valera was examining the terms of reference and possible membership of the review body.
Mr Brendan O'Donoghue, Chief Herald of Ireland's Genealogical Office, said there were still 19 other chieftains whose position remain undisputed and he had applications from another six claimants.
Procedures to grant courtesy recognition of chieftains were drawn up in the 1940s.
Mr O'Donoghue said the titles were purely a courtesy designation and conferred no rights or privileges.
The chieftainships are based on direct descent through the male line from the last Irish chief.
The chieftains would have been effective rulers of areas of the country but they had all been defeated by British colonisation and lost their territories by the 1600s.
The first 15 chieftainships were recognised in 1943 and 1944. None of them have been challenged.
AFP