Associates of former Taoiseach Mr Charles Haughey say he underwent treatment in hospital last week as part of his ongoing battle against prostate cancer.
Mr Haughey was last week discharged from the Bons Secours hospital in Glasnevin, Dublin, but sources have played down the importance of his stay and insist it was a scheduled treatment.
One friend said the experience had been "difficult" for Mr Haughey. However, a spokesperson at Mr Haughey's house in Kinsealy declined to comment when contacted.
Yesterday, it was reported that Mr Haughey had been rushed to hospital on the Wednesday before Easter following a serious progression of his prostate cancer and had emergency surgery before being discharged on Thursday, looking "frail and gaunt". Mr Haughey has had a series of health problems since being diagnosed with prostate cancer in October 1995.
Two years ago he was rushed to hospital after a suspected heart attack, just days after completing evidence in private to the Moriarty tribunal.
