Gardaí are to begin excavating a site in Dublin amid allegations that two infants were buried in the back garden of a house decades ago.

It is alleged a woman was raped as a child and gave birth to the youngsters before they were killed.

The incidents are alleged to have happened in the 1960s and 1970s.

Gardaí in Crumlin have launched an investigation into the claims.

Yesterday evening officers served a search warrant at an address in south Dublin, and a dig is expected to get underway in the coming days.

The operation is expected to last up to three weeks. It is believed to be in the Walkinstown area of the city.

Specialist officers will be in charge of the geophysical survey, and the State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy is said to be on standby if required.

Officers are also understood to be looking for a number of personal items, which are said to have been buried with the infants.

Gardaí have interviewed the alleged victim on several occasions during a year-long investigation.

They plan to speak to an elderly woman about the case - but at least one of the men accused of abusing the victim is dead.

A house has been sealed off and gardaí say the results of the dig will determine the future direction of the investigation.

Cathal McMahon is a news journalist with Independent.ie. He told Newstalk Breakfast the family currently living in the property are likely to be moved.