Three people have gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court on a total of 21 charges, including the rape and sexual assault of a young girl, which allegedly began when she was three and a half years old.
The mother of the child faces 13 charges of sexual assault and a charge of rape relating to an incident where she allegedly facilitated the rape of the girl at the age of six.
The complainant's uncle is charged with six counts of rape, including oral rape.
A second man, who was a family friend, faces one count of oral rape when the child was older.
They cannot be named to protect the anonymity of the complainant.
All three have pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Prosecuting counsel Anne-Marie Lawlor told the court that the alleged sexual abuse began when the complainant was three and half years old and continued until she was 12.
Her mother allegedly told her daughter that it was to be "their secret".
The last alleged incident of sexual abuse by the mother occurred when she was 15, the jury was told.
Ms Lawlor said the complainant lived with her mother and other family members, sharing a bedroom with her mother until the age of eight, and that alcohol was a factor for the adults in the house.
The jury will hear that, at around the age of six, she was taken by her mother to her uncle's bedroom and was raped while her mother was present.
Ms Lawlor explained to the jury that the law on the offence of rape allows a person who aids or abets an offence to be charged with rape.
It is alleged that she was raped on other occasions by the same uncle.
It is also alleged that, when the girl was around 11 years old, she was orally raped by a man who was a family friend and told her "your mother knows".
Ms Lawlor told the jury that the case involves allegations of child sexual abuse and that cases of this nature take place "behind closed doors and in secret".
She said the jurors must use their common sense to assess the evidence. The trial continues tomorrow.
