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A masked man wielding a screwdriver held up the board of governors of a primary school during an evening meeting and forced them to hand over whatever cash they had on them, gardaí have said.
The incident, which is being treated as an aggravated burglary and robbery, happened at a school in Longford town shortly after 7pm on Thursday.
The man entered the school - which gardaí said they will not identify for “operational reasons” - while the board of governors were meeting ahead of pupils returning to school.
Threatening them with a sharp implement - believed to be a screwdriver - he forced them to hand over cash.
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It is understood they gave him around €250 before he fled the scene on foot.
No one was physically harmed during the hold up. Gardaí later arrested a 38-year-old man in Longford town and recovered a sum of cash.
The suspect is being questioned at Longford Garda station under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.
“An examination of the scene has been carried out by local scenes of crime personnel,” a Garda spokesman said.
“Investigating gardaí are appealing for witnesses.”
They are particularly appealing to the driver of a van that may have been flagged down in the Chapel Street area by the suspect as he fled from the scene.