Over the weekend, there were reports that the names of some alleged abusers in the North have been handed over to the Gardaí. With the latest revelations, there have been calls for a cross border inquiry into alleged abuse by IRA members.

A spokesman for the government has told the Irish Times that the issue is expected to be discussed at next week's North South Ministerial Council while the Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald has confirmed a cross border investigation into abuse is under consideration.

The issue has been making headlines since a BBC programme highlighted how the IRA handled the abuse of Mairia Cahill. She has detailed how she was raped as a teenager and then forced to face her rapist in an IRA kangaroo court.

Ms Cahill has gone on to say that Republicans then conspired to move sex offenders south of the border, where they were free to offend again.

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams disputes some of her claims, but admits the IRA created its own justice system because of a lack of trust in the RUC and British courts:

Mairia Cahill spoke to Jonathan Healy on Lunchtime today about the names of suspects which have reportedly been supplied to Gardai. She stated that she herself has handed over about 30 names.

When asked how many names she had provided to police herself, Ms Cahill replied: "In and around 30. The reason I don't put a figure on it is because it has changed.

"If that is the amount of names that have come to me, I know that Sinn Féin will have knowledge of many more."

However, she said that it is not enough: "People need to go directly to police on both sides of the border to try to ensure that proper child protective procedures are put in place.