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Gardaí and the Health Service Executive are jointly examining allegations of child sexual abuse at a former Catholic boarding school in Co Cork.

The HSE is focusing on identifying children who may be currently at risk, while gardaí are conducting a criminal investigation into past events.

The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, which closed the school in 1995, has received five historic complaints within the past month in addition to those which prompted the inquiry.

The HSE said it acted in response to recent child protection concerns regarding the boarding school in Carraig na bhFear near Cork City.

It emphasised that these related to the time when the Missionary Order ran the facility, which is now a day-school under separate management.

It is understood that the inquiry is being conducted under Section 3 of the Child Care Act, which obliges the HSE to take steps it considers necessary to identify children who are currently at risk.

Welcoming the inquiry, the Ministers for Justice and Children said they had been assured that none of those against whom allegations had been made were currently engaged in any work activities which brought them into contact with children.

Several former students have complained they were sexually abused and early this month, at the Missionaries' invitation, Ian Elliott, the Catholic Church's child protection watchdog began auditing the Order's response to all allegations.

The Order says it is fully co-operating with officers from the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation and that a confidential telephone helpline will open shortly.