Gardaí have arrested a further four people in connection with last November's water charge protest in Jobstown in Dublin in which the Tánaiste was trapped in her car for over two hours.

One of those detained is a juvenile male.

Two men and a woman aged in their 20s and 30s were also arrested in the Tallaght area of Dublin shortly before 7am this morning.

They are being held at Tallaght and Rathfarnham Garda stations under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act.

TD Paul Murphy was released from garda custody yesterday afternoon, along with three other men who were also detained in connection with the incident.

Socialist TD Joe Higgins has claimed the government are trying to criminalise people who take part in water charge protests.

In a statement today, Mr Murphy said: "The gardaí scored a massive own goal yesterday and have scored another one today with these arrests. One of those arrested is a 16-year-old who unbelievably had 10 gardaí arrive at his door."

"According to some of the media the gardaí plan to arrest up to 40 people in relation to the protest. With four people yesterday and four people today, is this the beginning of a period of 10 days of dawn raids on peaceful protestors?," he added.