Siege situation ongoing in Tipperary

A siege situation is continuing in Roscrea, Co Tipperary, today after a man apparently doused himself in petrol and threatened to set himself alight.

The man has barricaded himself into his house in the town and bomb disposal experts have been brought to the scene amid fears that he may have an improvised device.

The incident has been ongoing since 1.30pm yesterday and has led to the evacuation of up to 40 people from their homes in the centre of Roscrea.

Businesses and shops in the area will also remain closed until the situation is resolved.

A Garda negotiator is on the scene in an effort to secure a peaceful outcome to the situation and is believed to have been in telephone contact with the man at the centre of the incident.

He is in his 50s and originally from Limerick, but has been living in Roscrea for a number of years.

Local TD Michael Smith has said the man involved in the siege has been troubled by a certain matter for a number of years, but he has declined to give details of the matter.

There have been suggestions that the stand-off was sparked by a threat of eviction from the rented house in Rosemary Street, which the man is refusing to leave, though this has been disputed by the landlord.