Irish president Michael D Higgins, 82, taken to hospital in Dublin

A medical team attended the Aras an Uachtarain (his official home) to assess the 82-year-old.

The PA news agency understands that initial tests did not show anything wrong with the president, but he was taken to hospital as a precaution following medical advice.

Aras an Uachtarain is expected to issue a statement later to confirm the president's condition.

A source confirmed that he was taken to a hospital but that it was as a precaution following advice from the paramedics who assessed him at his official residence in the Phoenix Park.

Whilst his role is essentially ceremonial, it is still a busy one.

In the past week, he has been to face-to-face “courtesy calls” with three foreign dignitaries, plus photojournalist Alan Betson, met with the Irish National Veterans Association, attended the Ireland-Wales rugby match, attended the RTE Radio 1 Folk Awards, and yesterday presented the Dublin International Film Festival Volta award.

He has been the Irish president since November 11, 2011, and was re-inaugurated on the same date in 2018.

Born on April 18, 1941 in Limerick city, he was a factory worker and a clerk before going to University College Galway, the University of Manchester, and Indiana University.

He later joined Fianna Fail, but most of his career has been spent in the Irish Labour Party.

He is married to Sabina Higgins, and they have four children.

His roster of achievements on the Irish government website include being a member of the Dail for 25 years, and a member of the Seanad for nine, becoming Ireland’s first arts minister from 1993 to 1997, and Lord Mayor of Galway twice.

He has written for music magazine Hot Press (from 1982 to 1992) and has published a number of poetry collections.