Gardai in Dublin have arrested three men in connection with seriously assaulting a taxi driver in Palmerstown in the early hours of this morning.

The incident happened when the taxi driver stopped on the N4 to pick up a fare just before 4am.

Three men - aged 19, 21 and 28 - got in and threatened the driver with what's believed to have been a knife. They made him drive to the Tubber Lane area of Lucan where they assaulted him and then drove off in the taxi.

The injured man who is 32 managed to raise the alarm and the car was found on fire a short time later in the area.

Three men were arrested shortly afterwards. They are being detained at Lucan and Ronanstown Garda Station under Section 4 Criminal Justice Act 1984.

The area has been sealed off and gardai are appealing to any witnesses to the incident to come forward.