Gardaí are investigating allegations of fraud believed to involve several hundred thousand euro at a HSE-run hospital in Cork.

The alleged fraud was reported to gardaí by the HSE within the past week.

Detectives obtained a warrant and conducted a search of the hospital, seizing documents and at least one computer.

It is understood that during this search there was an altercation between a member of staff and a member of the gardaí. He is also understood to have lunged at one of the gardaíi.

The man was subdued using pepper spray and was later treated in hospital. His injuries were not serious and the garda was not injured.

The man has not been arrested but the garda investigation is continuing.

The fraud is understood to involve the use of false invoices to bill the HSE for work that was not carried out, with the money being subsequently transferred to a number of different bank accounts.

In a statement to RTÉ News this evening, the HSE confirmed that a garda investigation is underway into allegations of fraud by a member of staff in the HSE South.

The HSE said it is co-operating with investigating gardaí and cannot comment further on the details of the investigation.