A man in his 30s will appear in court this morning charged with assault causing harm to four children at a house in Co Wicklow on Friday evening.

The man was remanded in custody after appearing at a special sitting of Wicklow District Court on Saturday night.

Last Friday evening gardaí and emergency services were called to an incident at a house in the Blainroe area.

Four children were taken to hospital but were later released.

35-year-old Stephen Harnett - of Kilpoole Upper, Blainroe in Wicklow - was remanded in custody charged with assault causing harm to the children.

There was no application for bail.

Garda Neil Doyle told a special sitting of Wicklow District Court on Saturday that the accused made no reply when the charges were put to him.

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

He is due to appear before Cloverhill District Court later today.