GARDAÍ ARE INVESTIGATING reports that a protestor was struck by a ministerial car as it was leaving outside government buildings on Merrion Street last night.

Officers from Pearse Street station were on duty at the scene, policing anti-government protests following the announcement of Ireland’s application for a European Union and IMF bailout, when the incident occurred.

TV news reports showed a protestor on the ground in front of a dark car, as a convoy of ministerial vehicles left Merrion Street following Brian Cowen and Brian Lenihan’s press office.

While it was unclear whether the person involved was partaking in a sit-down protest or whether they had been struck by a car as it left, BBC News’s Joe Lynam told his channel the car had “hit a protestor and ran over” them.

Sinn Féin’s party newspaper An Phoblacht reported that the protestor involved was a Sinn Féin activist, and that the injured party was taken to hospital by ambulance. It is understood that the demonstrator had sustained a leg injury.

A Garda spokesman declined to speculate on the identity of the minister being carried in the car, but confirmed that the Pearse Street station was investigating the report.

About 50 protestors – mostly representing the Sinn Féin party and the Shell To Sea group – had been present to demonstrate against what they felt was a loss of sovereignty through the government’s actions.