Gardai have arrested seven people as part of an investigation into the alleged serious sexual assault of a female child.

The five men and two women were detained early this morning in Dublin and Wexford as part of the on-going investigation.

The two women are aged in their 40s and the five men are ranging in ages from 19 years up to 47 years.

They are currently being held in a number of garda stations in the south Dublin area, under Section 4 Criminal Justice Act. They can all be held for up to 24 hours.

Garda say there are releasing no further details about this investigation at present.

The offences are alleged to have taken place across a number of years, while the girl was aged between 4 and 9 years of age. She is now 10-years-old.

It is understood the alleged victim was taken into State care last year.

During her time in care, workers of the Health Service Executive (HSE) became aware of the alleged abuse and a garda investigation was launched.

Tom Brady is security editor with the Irish Independent. He says the suspects include the girl's mother and her brother.