TWO young siblings are in state care following allegations that their mother and father sexually abused them repeatedly.

A court heard a recorded interview with an older brother, who said he witnessed both parents abusing his younger siblings when they were just two and four years of age.

On one occasion he said he intervened and told his mother to abuse him instead of his sister.

He also described instances of neglect where he was forced to eat faeces with ketchup.

While the 11-year-old boy has been in care for over a year, he only made these disclosures last month to a specialist garda interviewer.

She described the claims about the younger siblings, who are now aged for and seven, as credible – and among the most extreme she had ever heard.

The allegations are now being investigated by gardai.

District Court judge Colin Daly has ordered that they be placed in the care of the Child and Family Agency for the next 28 days while steps are taken to assess the credibility of the claims and the risk posed by the parents.

The children's mother admitted that there was domestic violence at home.

But the parents strenuously deny all allegations of abusing their children and contested the CFA's attempts to secure an interim care order.

Online Editors