Galway County councillor Michael "Stroke" Fahy is in a "comfortable" condition in University Hospital Galway this morning after being admitted last night.
The councillor (56) had been due to present himself at Loughrea Garda station by 11am to be taken to Castlereagh Prison to begin his one-year jail term.
Mr Fahy was convicted of theft and fraud offences and sentenced to 12 months in jail and fined €75,000. Mr Fahy denied the charges.
He was admitted to hospital with chest pains shortly after he brought his 96-year-old mother to Merlin Park Hospital for respite care, pending a bed at St Brendan's Nursing Home in Loughrea becoming available.