A man has been remanded in custody after being charged with assault causing harm to four children in Co Wicklow.

35-year-old Stephen Harnett with an address of Kilpoole Upper, in Wicklow appeared before a special sitting of Bray District Court yesterday.

Gardaí and emergency services were called to a house in Blainroe, near Wicklow town on Friday evening.

Four children were taken to hospital but they were released yesterday.

At the hearing, Judge Gerard Furlong ordered a psychiatric evaluation and also requested that Mr Harnett receive appropriate psychiatric and medical care.

He remanded him in custody at the request of Superintendent Paul Hogan, to appear before Cloverhill District Court next Thursday.