A 48-year-old Galway man has been charged with 185 counts of rape of three of his daughters over a 17-year period.

Athenry District Court was told that 140 of the charges relate to one daughter between 1991 and 2008.

A further 24 charges of rape relate to a second daughter and are alleged to have occurred between 1991 and 1996.

Another 21 charges of rape relate to a third daughter and are alleged to have occurred between 1991 and 1996.

The man and his wife, who cannot be named for legal reasons, have already been charged with 30 counts of abuse and neglect of their children.

Ten of the charges are for rape of four of his daughters between 1997 and 2009.

Judge Joseph Mangan refused bail and remanded the man in custody to appear at Harristown Dist Court in Co Roscommon next Friday.

The man's wife was remanded in custody on to appear at Ennis District Court on 22 January.