The Justice Minister says she is concerned that information about garda investigations has been leaked to the media.

It follows a statement last night by former Minister Pat Carey, who said he had read of allegations of abuse in a national newspaper, rather than from Gardai.

Mr Carey has denied all allegations, but stood down from various public roles and the Fianna Fail party.

Gardai confirmed this afternoon that they were looking into how information made it into the media.

While Frances Fitzgerald didn’t want to comment on particular cases, she said the matter was being investigated.

An Garda Síochána say they are examining all circumstances on how information relating to how the ifnormation entered the public domain.

In a statement released through his solicitors last night, Mr Carey said he did not know if allegations about sexual abuse carried in the Irish Independent this week related to him.

However he said given the unfounded speculation that has arisen, he was resigning with a heavy heart.

Mr Carey was only appointed as Director of Elections last month.

In his statement, the former minister said he was deeply upset to have been contacted by journalists following Wednesday's article.

He absolutely and unconditionally denies any impropriety in this matter or in his 30 years as a teacher, community worker and in public life.

Mr Carey said he was particularly concerned at comments allegedly attributed to gardaí.

He said he does not know if the allegations relate to him but given the unfounded speculation he is of his own accord resigning from the Fianna Fáil party and as its director of elections.

Renua Ireland leader Lucinda Creighton told the Pat Kenny Show here on Newstalk that every citizen has a right to protect their good name.

Kevin Doyle, group political editor of Independent News and Media (INM), told Newstalk Breakfast the details of the claims still have not been laid out.

"We have never actually said how many people exactly, but it is a number of people, it is male and female".

"It all started with one woman who made an allegation that she was abused in the early '90s. Gardaí, on the back of that, approached a number of other people who would have been in the same environment as that lady back then. It seems that a number of those have given similar stories of abuse".

"Gardaí are still looking to speak to more witnesses, so they are still approaching other people who may have knowledge of anything that may have taken place."

"So they will spend a few more weeks approaching people, speaking to people and it won't be until the New Year that they speak to the man at the centre of this".

Listen to Kevin Doyle's interview here, in which Ivan Yates questions whether it was right to publish the article.