Gardaí have confirmed that an investigation is under way into allegations of sexual abuse against a former government minister.
This investigation is being conducted by the Garda National Protection Services Unit, a specialist team which investigates cases of sexual abuse and monitors sex offenders.
It began in the last month when a woman made a complaint to gardaí.
The former minister has not yet been interviewed by gardaí.
Gardaí received a complaint in the past month from a woman who has alleged that a former minister abused her while in a previous occupation.
The allegations date back to the 1980s.
Detectives identified and spoke to a number of other adults who would, as children, have had contact with the former minister and they are believed to have made similar allegations.
So far the allegations relate to abusive behaviour which is often described in court as "at a lower scale" and does not involve intimate sexual contact.
The garda investigation is still in its initial stages and the minister has not yet been interviewed.
At the conclusion of the investigation, a file will be sent to the Direct of Public Prosecutions who will decide whether or not criminal charges are to be preferred.
There have also been claims today that an alleged male victim made a complaint to gardaí ten years ago, but gardaí said they are not aware of anyone having alleged to have made such a report.
A spokesman said that "if any allegation of that nature was brought to the Gardaí's attention it would be investigated immediately".
