A student died in hospital early this morning after falling unconscious in a garda station in Co Kildare.
The 29-year-old, arrested on a university campus for a drugs offence, was found in a cell at 5am. Gardai concerned at his welfare summoned a doctor and an ambulance.
CPR was administered at the scene and despite being rushed to Naas hospital he was pronounced dead an hour later.
The man, from north Dublin, had originally been found unconscious at a campus apartment in NUI Maynooth yesterday afternoon and rushed to Blanchardstown Hospital by ambulance.
Gardai obtained a search warrant for the apartment where a quantity of controlled drugs was seized. A second man was arrested a second at the residence but was later released pending a file being sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The 29-year-old discharged himself from hospital and returned to the university residence where he was arrested for a drugs offence shortly after 10pm last night.
He was brought to Naas Garda Station where he was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
Questioning was suspended by consent at midnight and the man was placed in a cell where he was monitored under Garda Custody Regulations.
"Shortly before 5am this morning gardai became concerned about his health and summoned a doctor and an ambulance," a garda spokesman said.
"CPR was administered and he was brought to Naas Hospital. "Death was pronounced before 6am."
The student had successfully completed the first year of a two year diploma course in community and youth work.
Prof Jim Walsh, vice president at the NUI Maynooth, said the institution and its pupils were in shock.
"There is a great sense of shock here that this has happened," continued Prof Walsh.
"It is a small university with 6,500 students. Of those about 1,000 live on campus in student apartments. This student was living in one of those apartments."
"There is a relatively small number of students taking this course, just 13, and it was a very closely knit group of students and staff. They were quite shocked this morning when they heard the news.
"I didn't know this student, but I understand from the lecturers who were familiar with him that he was well regarded among the other students."
Prof Walsh said with a population of 6,500, it is inevitable that the university has some deaths each year.
"But this situation that has arisen is extremely rare," he continued. "This particular one is a very sad occasion for his family, friends in the university and the institution as a whole."
Prof Walsh stressed that the university boasts a zero tolerance approach to drugs, with security on site working closely with local gardai.
"There is absolutely no scope for tolerating any illicit substances," he added.
"We have our own disciplinary procedure for each case, as well as informing gardai."
A garda officer from outside the Garda Division has been appointed to examine all aspects of the incident.