Search under way at house in missing boy investigation

A search operation is being carried out a house in Co Louth as part of the investigation into the disappearance of eight-year-old Kyran Durnin.

Gardaí say they took possession of the house in Dundalk yesterday on foot of a District Court Order.

The house, garden and grounds adjoining the house will be searched and technical and forensic examinations will also be carried out.

Gardaí say the purpose of these searches is to discover any evidence which might provide them with information about Kyran's whereabouts or what happened to him.

Gardaí believe Kyran may have been killed up to two years ago and say this investigation is complex with many different lines of enquiry being perused.

The last records for Kyran that they have relate to his attendance at a school in Dundalk at the end of the 2022 school year in June.

On 30 August this year, a missing person's report was filed at Drogheda Garda Station in relation to Kyran.

Gardaí were told he was last seen in the town two days earlier.

However, during the course of their inquiry, information came to light that led detectives to suspect that Kyran had been missing for more than two days.

Last week, they upgraded the missing person's case to one of murder.

Gardaí have said that, in spite of their extensive inquiries, they have been unable to find Kyran or identify any information on his current whereabouts or evidence to suggest that he is still alive.

Minister for Children Roderic O'Gorman has asked Tusla to send its files on Kyran to a specialist panel which looks into the death of any child with links to State care.

This panel reviews the investigation of serious incidents including the deaths of children in care and known to the child protection system.

The move is unusual as generally a case would only be referred to this panel after a garda or other investigation has concluded.

However, Minister O'Gorman said that he has taken the step at this early stage in the garda investigation in order to understand the involvement of Tusla in this case, and given the unusual nature of the case.

Gardaí are continuing to appeal to anyone who has any information in connection with the disappearance of Kyran to contact Drogheda Garda Station on 041 987 4200, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any garda station.

Meanwhile, Taoiseach Simon Harris has said the case of Kyran Durnin is "deeply disturbing, deeply upsetting" and "utterly horrifying".

He said the boy was failed badly and "clearly something went extraordinarily wrong".

He said as Taoiseach he is going to get to the bottom of this and everything will be done "to establish from an accountability point of view" how this child was failed.

He said he hopes there is progress this morning as he referred to the garda investigation.

Additional reporting Karen Creed