Young Dublin girl 'raped repeatedly over five-year period'
Seven people have been arrested as part of an investigation into allegations that a young girl was raped by a number of men over a five-year period.
The offences are alleged to have taken place when the girl was aged between four and nine at her home in south county Dublin. She is now 10 years old.
The five men, who range in age from 19 to 47, and two women who are in their forties were detained this morning in Dublin and Wexford.
They are being held under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act and can be questioned for up to 24 hours.
It is understood the suspects include the girl's mother and her brother.
The girl was taken into care last year on the basis that she was being neglected by her mother. While she was in care, the authorities became aware of the alleged sexual activity involving her.
Six of the suspects are eastern Europeans. The seventh is a British national.
