Health Minister Edwin Poots has said he will consider an independent review into the sexual exploitation of young people in care and elsewhere in Northern Ireland.

His response follows revelations that 22 young people between the ages of 13 and 18 in care in NI had been abused.

In an interview with UTV, ACC Mark Hamilton confirmed that 18 children identified as potential victims went missing from care more than 400 times in a year and a half. Police believe most of the men involved are in their early 20s, although they range from teenagers to 60-year-olds.

More than 30 arrests have been made so far.

In a statement on Wednesday, Minister Poots said: "I recognise this is an issue of significant interest to the public.

"In order to provide assurance and for the public to have the maximum confidence, I am giving consideration to asking an expert from outside Northern Ireland to provide an independent assessment and report to me on the existing practices and procedures which fall under the responsibility of my Department.

"A significant amount of work has been carried out in recent years in this area where continuous improvement is constantly being sought. I consider it essential that the public know that everything that can be done is being done on these very challenging issues."

Meanwhile, Sinn Féin MLA Maeve McLaughlin has said the party will be putting forward a motion to the Assembly calling for an inquiry into the recent abuse and exploitation of children both in care homes and elsewhere.

The motion calls on the Minister for Health to liaise with the Minister for Justice and launch an immediate inquiry into the revelations.

The Sinn Féin spokesperson on Health said: "It is a serious indictment on our society when children are placed in care homes to keep them from harms way when in fact some are being placed in even greater risk.

"This has happened under the watch of the Health Minister and the Department of Health.

"In 2011 Barnardos published a report paid forby the Health Department that made several recommendations concerning the welfare of children in care homes.

"Indeed five of the six recommendations fell under the remit of the Health Department and the minister needs to tell us how many of these recommendations have been implemented and when they where implemented."

(JP/CD)