LAST UPDATE | 22 Oct
SEARCHES ARE UNDER WAY at the former family home of Kyran Durnin as part of the investigation into the disappearance of the young boy.
Kyran, who would now be eight years old, was initially reported missing in August of this year.
However gardaí announced last week that after extensive inquiries they had been unable to find any evidence that he is alive and were launching a murder investigation.
Yesterday, acting under a District Court Order, gardaí took possession of a private house on Emer Terace in Dundalk.
Searches of that property – as well as the garden and adjoining open ground – are under way this afternoon
Gardaí have stressed that the current tenants of this house are not connected in anyway with Kyran or his disappearance.
The house is known to have been Kyran’s family home for a period of years up to May 2024.
A Garda spokesperson said the purpose of the search is to discover “any evidence which might provide information as to Kyran’s current whereabouts or what has happened to Kyran”.
Three garda vehicles – including at least one from the Garda Technical Bureau – lined the street outside the property at lunchtime today.
A lone Garda stood outside the front door as the search continued inside.
Speaking in Dundalk today, Chief Superintendent Alan McGovern said:
“I want to thank members of the public who have contacted the garda investigation team to date. Our sole focus and primary concern, and that of the investigation team is Kyran.
“We want to discover where Kyran is. We want to discover what has happened to Kyran.
“I continue to appeal to anyone who has any information in connection with the disappearance of Kyran to contact investigating gardaí.
“Do not rule out any information that you may have. Please do not assume that the investigation team know the information that you may have.”
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.
Gardaí confirmed today that Kyran was a student at a local primary school in Dundalk up until the end of the 2021/22 school year.
The young boy was reported missing, along with his mother, on 30 August this year. It was stated at the time he had been last seen on or about the 28th August 2024.
Gardaí have since identified the whereabouts of Kyran’s mother.
“An Garda Síochána is liaising closely with other state agencies, including TUSLA, who are co-operating and assisting fully with this murder investigation,” a statement today said.
In a statement this evening, Tusla, the child and family agency, confirmed that it has referred Kyran’s case to the National Review Panel, the authority that independently reviews cases of serious incidents involving children in care or known to Tusla.
A spokeswoman for Tusla said it had engagements with the Durnin family but added that Kyran was not in the care of the child and family agency.
She said that an internal review into the case is also underway.
She added that Gardaí had alerted the agency of Kyran’s case in August and teams from both organisations have been working closely, in line with normal practice, since.
- With reporting from Mairead Maguire, Niall O’Connor and Muiris Ó Cearbhaill
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