A man his his forties is involved in an armed stand off with Gardai at an apartment in Tallaght in Dublin.
The garda emergency response unit is currently dealing with the situation on Deerpark Avenue.
It's understood the man barricaded himself into the apartment after a number of shots were fired at around half past 2 this morning.
The man is believed to be armed and Gardai say that special negotiators were called in to deal with the ongoing situation.
The garda emergency response unit and the fire service are also at the scene this afternoon.
The scene at a cul-de-sac on deerpark avenue in the busy deerpark estate is sealed off with three garda
cordons, and nearby residents have been forced to leave their homes.
