MINISTER FOR CHILDREN Roderic O’Gorman said that there were “clearly failings” and “very clearly something went wrong” in state agency Tulsa’s engagement with Kyran Durnin, who was reported missing in August.

However, Kyran has not been seen in two years. Gardaí suspect that the young boy, who would now be eight-years-old, was killed up to two years ago.

A murder inquiry has now been launched by gardaí after they were unable to find any evidence that he was alive.

Speaking on RTÉ’s This Week with Justin McCarthy, O’Gorman said that there were currently three investigations ongoing into the case of young Kyran Durnin.

“There’s a murder investigation through An Garda Síochana; Tulsa are undertaking their own review of their engagement with this child and with his family, and I’ve asked that the Independent National Review Panel would also examine this case so we can absolutely understand all the engagements that this child and his family had with Tusla and indeed, with other elements of the state, and what went wrong in this situation.”

O’Gorman confirmed that he expects the internal review of Tusla’s engagement next week, with Tusla reporting to himself and Minister for Education Norma Foley on the case.

When asked by host McCarthy if he believed that there were failings in the system in this case, O’Gorman said that there were “very clearly failings” and that was why he had engaged with the Independent National Review Panel to investigate while the case with the gardaí was still ongoing.

A child has been missing for two years, so there’s very clearly failings.

“Very clearly something went wrong in this case, and I need to understand why, and government needs to understand why this happened, that we have a National Review Panel in this country where a child who is known to Tusla dies.

“That national review panel gives us that independent understanding of that child’s engagement with Tusla with other state agencies, and allows us to understand what happened and allows us to make necessary changes.”

Earlier this week, gardaí conducted a search at the former family home of Kyran Durnin. 

The house that was searched is known to have been Kyran’s family home for a period of years up to May 2024. Gardaí stressed that the current tenants of this house are not connected in any way with Kyran or his disappearance. 

Sources said it is anticipated that other locations will be searched by the gardaí.

Anyone who has any information in connection with the disappearance of Kyran is asked to contact Drogheda Garda Station on 041 987 4200, the Garda Confidential Line on (1800) 666 111 or any Garda Station.