A former Limerick councillor - who has been sentenced to eight months imprisonment - was admitted to hospital yesterday after suffering a suspected heart attack.
Michael Kelly (47), of Ballyneety, Co Limerick, was convicted at Limerick District Court on Thursday of 26 charges of tax and social welfare fraud.
Kelly was admitted to the Mid-Western Regional Hospital early yesterday morning.
Last night a hospital spokeswoman described his condition as "critical but stable" in the Coronary Care Unit.
The former alderman looked visibly shaken and pale in court on Thursday as the sentence was being handed down by Judge Michael Reilly.
Kelly's wife Majella brought him to hospital in Limerick early yesterday morning.
Limerick District Court heard this week that Kelly had admitted himself to hospital on Wednesday night after complaining of chest pains.
Kelly - who has 37 previous convictions - served as a member of Limerick City Council for three years after he topped the poll in the Southill ward in the 1999 local elections.
His conviction this week followed a lengthy investigation by the Criminal Assets Bureau into Kelly's financial affairs and his security company - Crestwin Ltd.
Imposing sentence, Judge Reilly said Kelly had engaged in "a deliberate and sustained attempt to conceal his activities from the authorities and had shown a disregard for the law". Kelly is currently on bail pending an appeal of his conviction. He must sign on three times a week at a Limerick Garda station.