A MAN HAS been arrested on suspicion of the murder of missing schoolboy Kyran Durnin.
The man is being detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at a Garda station in the east of the country.
Investigating Gardaí began searches at two houses in Drogheda this morning. One of those searches has concluded while the other is ongoing.
“The purpose of these searches is to discover any evidence which might provide us with information as to Kyran’s current whereabouts or what has happened to Kyran,” a Garda spokesperson said.
Gardaí said details of the first search are not being released for operational reasons.
“A search at the second house continues and is expected to continue for a period of time,” a Garda spokesperson said.
“The House and gardens will be subject to intrusive search and subject to technical and forensic examinations.”
The search is being carried out by the Divisional Search team, with support from the Garda National Technical Bureau, Divisional Scene of Crime and Forensic Science Ireland. The search is also being supported by a specialist cadaver dog.
A woman was questioned by gardaí as part of the investigation into Kyran’s murder but was released without charge yesterday.
Kyran was initially reported missing in August of this year but gardaí suspect that the young boy, who would be eight years old today, was killed up to two years ago.
A search at his former family home in Dundalk was conducted in October. 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 the house were not connected in any way with Kyran or his disappearance.
Earlier in October, gardaí had announced they were launching a murder investigation in the case, after they were unable to find any evidence that the boy was alive.
The case has raised questions about Tusla, which had engaged with Kyran’s family.
The Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman said in October there were “very clearly failings” in the case and that was why he had engaged with the Independent National Review Panel to investigate while the case with the gardaí was still ongoing.
The report was received by O’Gorman’s department in November but was not released due to the ongoing Garda investigation.
Gardaí continue to appeal to any person with any information, on the disappearance and murder of Kyran Durnin, “no matter how insignificant it may seem”, to contact the Investigation Team at Drogheda Garda Station on 041 987 4200, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or speak with any member of An Garda Síochána.
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