Gardaí have now made more than 20 arrests as part of a large-scale inquiry into a child sex abuse ring in Munster.

A number of suspects were being questioned by gardaí on Monday night. Their detention for questioning brings to 23 the number of arrests in the case in two tranches months apart.

The inquiry has been continuing since the first set of arrests earlier this year and The Irish Times understands significant progress has been made.

A statement from the Garda said: “Gardaí have arrested a number of people in relation to an ongoing investigation. They are currently detained in Garda Stations in the Southern and Western Regions of An Garda Síochána. ”

Allegations are being investigated that suggest more than 20 children were abused by adults known to them and a wider group of abusers.

Garda sources said while the DPP would decide whether charges could now be pursued against some of the suspects, detectives working on the case were hopeful criminal charges were imminent.

An unusual feature of the case is the large number of suspects and alleged victims. Gardaí believe a group of children had been sexually abused for years.

The inquiry has been ongoing for two years and the child victims have been removed to places of safety while the Garda’s inquiries have continued.

The suspects, male and female, are aged from their 20s to 70s.

The Garda inquiry has been trying to establish if the older suspects have sexually abused children for a number of decades.

It is also alleged that while some of the child victims were abused by people known to them, strangers were also facilitated in sexually abusing children.

The suspects in custody on Monday night in Garda stations on Southern and Western Regions of An Garda Síochána were detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act. It allows for suspects to be questioned for up to 24 hours without charge.