Gardaí have interviewed 17 men who claim they were sexually abused while attending a college on the outskirts of Cork.
The complaints date back to the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s when the college was run by the order of Missionaries of the Sacred Heart.
They have been made against four former members of staff at the Carrignavar college. It is understood that one of them died recently.
"It has been alleged that some of the victims were subjected to repeated abuse over some length of time," a Garda source said.
There is no evidence, however, that any of the pupils was "passed around" to other perpetrators.
"The alleged victims we have spoken to are now living all over the country. Some are still living in Cork and Kerry and Limerick. But others are living further away, some of them in border counties," the source added.
In some cases the complainants went to be interviewed at Cobh Garda Station.
However, gardaí also travelled to other people’s homes, or met them at a mutually agreed venue to conduct interviews.
They have also interviewed several other people who were said by the alleged victims to be able to substantiate their stories.
A team of six gardaí has been working on the case since the first complaint was made by a former boarder at Sacred Heart College, Carrignavar, last August.
The investigation, which is still continuing, has been mounted by gardaí from the Cobh district who are being aided by detectives from the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (NBCI) based at Harcourt Square, Dublin.
When the investigation was launched, senior gardaí promised it would be "methodical and painstaking".
It is likely to take several weeks to complete. They will wait until they have completed their investigation before interviewing the alleged perpetrators.
The Catholic Church’s National Board for Safeguarding Children is also investigating the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart’s handling of abuse as is the office for the minister of children.
Last November, the support organisation One-In-Four held a special meeting in Cork at which its counsellors spoke with six people who claimed they were sexually abused while attending the school.
One-In-Four executive director, Maeve Lewis, said her organisation was liaising closely with the gardaí and HSE on the case.
She said any victims of sexual abuse were welcome to ring her organisation at 01 6624070.
They have been made against four former members of staff at the Carrignavar college. It is understood that one of them died recently.
"It has been alleged that some of the victims were subjected to repeated abuse over some length of time," a Garda source said.
There is no evidence, however, that any of the pupils was "passed around" to other perpetrators.
"The alleged victims we have spoken to are now living all over the country. Some are still living in Cork and Kerry and Limerick. But others are living further away, some of them in border counties," the source added.
In some cases the complainants went to be interviewed at Cobh Garda Station.
However, gardaí also travelled to other people’s homes, or met them at a mutually agreed venue to conduct interviews.
They have also interviewed several other people who were said by the alleged victims to be able to substantiate their stories.
A team of six gardaí has been working on the case since the first complaint was made by a former boarder at Sacred Heart College, Carrignavar, last August.
The investigation, which is still continuing, has been mounted by gardaí from the Cobh district who are being aided by detectives from the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (NBCI) based at Harcourt Square, Dublin.
When the investigation was launched, senior gardaí promised it would be "methodical and painstaking".
It is likely to take several weeks to complete. They will wait until they have completed their investigation before interviewing the alleged perpetrators.
The Catholic Church’s National Board for Safeguarding Children is also investigating the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart’s handling of abuse as is the office for the minister of children.
Last November, the support organisation One-In-Four held a special meeting in Cork at which its counsellors spoke with six people who claimed they were sexually abused while attending the school.
One-In-Four executive director, Maeve Lewis, said her organisation was liaising closely with the gardaí and HSE on the case.
She said any victims of sexual abuse were welcome to ring her organisation at 01 6624070.