An urgent inquiry is under way into a District Court case in Castlerea, Co Roscommon, involving the son of a member of the Garda Siochana in an assault on a bouncer.

The Minister for Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, said the Garda authorities would investigate the events surrounding the listing of the case for January this year, four weeks prematurely, in the District Court at Castlerea.

His own Department would also investigate the role of the District Court office in listing the case, and the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Chief Justice and the Attorney General had also been informed.

He was responding to a question by Mr Jim Higgins, Fine Gael's justice spokesman.

Mr Higgins said the case arose "from an assault with a bottle by the son of a then-serving member of the Garda Siochana on a bouncer, who sustained considerable injuries.

"The case was adjourned until the February sitting of Castlerea District Court, but was called in January, although it should not have been called and was not on the original list," said Mr Higgins.

The Minister said that when he received the deputy's question on April 29th he made inquiries to the District Court and received a certain amount of information by fax that day.

"Within the last few hours I have received further information which appears to contradict the earlier version. In light of this I have no option but to initiate immediate inquiries."

He added that "this matter is to be dealt with as a matter of urgency and I will make a report to the House on the matter as soon as possible". The Fine Gael Mayo deputy said the gardai received no indication that the case was coming up and objected to it being heard four weeks prematurely and sought assurances that the matter would be referred to the Chief Justice.

Mr O'Donoghue said he had been informed. He added that the President of the District Court was out of the State but he would inform him as soon as he got back. Mr Higgins asked if the Minister was satisfied with the accuracy of the version of events given to him by the District Court Clerk on April 29th.

He also asked: "Have the members of the gardai - namely, Supt Roche and Insp Gallagher - been interviewed to date in the course of the investigations into this case?"

Mr O'Donoghue repeated that he had received information yesterday which appeared to contradict the earlier version of events he had received on April 29th.

"In those circumstances an urgent inquiry is under way and I will report back to the House the moment it is complete."