Two hospital security men were injured in a shooting in the grounds of a Dublin hospital this morning.
It is understood they were approached by two hooded men in the grounds of St James’s Hospital shorty before 4.30am.
One of the men was shot in the right shoulder and the other suffered injuries to a forearm. Both men are in their 20s.
In a statement issued on behalf of St James’s Hospital this morning, hospital authorities confirmed the men had been injured in a "shooting incident" on the grounds of the hospital.
The statement said the hospital is "co-operating fully with the gardaí’s investigation of this shooting incident."
When gardaí arrived at the scene, the men were already being treated by medical personnel.
The men's injuries are not life threatening and hospital services at the hospital were not affected.
Gardaí are investigating a motive for the attack.
A Siptu spokesman called for public support in tracing the attackers of the men, who were union members.
"While it is unusual for our members to be shot in such circumstances, security work at hospitals has becoming very demanding and dangerous in recent years. Often the public do not realise how difficult the situation can be," Siptu security sector organiser Kevin McMahon.