A man has been arrested in Athlone, Co. Westmeath after the windscreen on the car of the Environment Minister was smashed during a protest this afternoon.

It is understood a number of people protesting at visit by Phil Hogan to Athlone Library surrounded the car the Minister was travelling in as it was leaving a car park.

A spokesperson for the Ministers office says that a crowd of people surrounded the car and were rocking it, before one man smashed the windscreen with his fist.

But John Mc Namara from the 'The Peoples Voice' political group who were protesting at the event told Shannonside Radio that they will be bringing today's incident to the attention of the Garda Ombudsman.