An inquiry into alleged abuse of boys sent by the courts to a special school in Dublin in the 1980s has been widened. The Eastern Health Board and gardai are understood to be contacting and interviewing 70 men who, as boys, spent time in St Laurence's school in Finglas. The institution was run on behalf of the Department of Education by the De La Salle order which has since withdrawn from the school.
Allegations are understood to have been made against two De La Salle brothers.
The inquiry began when the then leader of the Opposition, Mr Bertie Ahern, wrote to the Eastern Health Board early last year.
He had been contacted by Ms Loreto Byrne, who had been a high-ranking civil servant in the Department of Education in the late 1980s when she had responsibility for schools such as St Laurence's.
Ms Byrne alleges she became aware in 1988 of allegations of sexual abuse at St Laurence's but shortly after she began to look into the matter, she was returned to the Department of Finance from which she had been on loan to Education.
The Department of Education says this had nothing to do with her concerns about St Laurence's.
She retired in 1992 in her mid-30s under an early retirement scheme and has since completed a law degree at UCD.
At a meeting of the Oireach tas Public Accounts Committee in 1995, Mr Des O'Malley alleged "the Department of Finance sent her to the gulags". Since her retirement, she has complained that the original allegations were never investigated.
The Eastern Health Board declined to make a statement on the matter last week.
A spokesman for the De La Salle brothers stated in reply to queries the order "has a childcare policy which is rigidly adhered to". This included "absolutely full and comprehensive co-operation" with investigations by the authorities.