Man shot in head during dispute on farmland in Co Dublin

Suspect arrested and dog also shot during incident at Hazel Grove near Tallaght on Tuesday

A crime scene at Mount Seskin off the Blessington Road has been sealed-off to allow for an examination by members of the Garda Technical Bureau. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA Wire

A man has been shot in the head during a dispute between two people on farmland just outside Tallaght in west Dublin.

The incident occurred in the Hazel Grove area at about 1pm and the injured man, aged in his 30s, was taken to Tallaght University Hospital, where he is in a critical condition and there are fears for his life.

An Garda Síochána said a man, aged in his early 50s, was arrested at the scene. He was taken to Tallaght Garda station where he was detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, 1939.

A crime scene close to Mount Seskin, off the Blessington Road, has been sealed off to allow for an examination by members of the Garda Technical Bureau.

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A legally held firearm has been recovered for ballistics examination.

While the investigation into the incident is at an early stage, gardaí believe the injured man and at least one other person may have been walking on privately owned farm lands in the area with a dog when a dispute broke out.

A dog, believed to be owned by the injured man, was also shot during the incident, which is not regarded as being related to gangland or organised crime.

Garda headquarters issued a brief statement confirming that the force was responding to a shooting incident in the Tallaght area.

Anyone with information about the incident or who may have been in the Hazel Grove area of Tallaght is asked to contact Tallaght Garda station on (01) 666 6000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any garda station.

Conor Lally

Conor Lally

Conor Lally is Security and Crime Editor of The Irish Times