Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald has confirmed that a cross-border investigation into alleged abuse by IRA members is under consideration.
Minister Fitzgerald was speaking in Cork amid reports that the proposal will be discussed at next week's North-South Ministerial Council.
There were reports at the weekend that the names of some suspects against whom claims have been made have been supplied to gardaí.
Minister Fitzgerald said that an inquiry between the Republic and the North would be no easy task.
"Well, it would be challenging, but certainly under consideration," she said.
"But the most important point is that if anyone has any information about people who have abused children, about people who have travelled from one part of the country to another, and [are] currently putting children at risk, we need to have those names and the gardaí need to be informed - the PSNI or the Gardaí."