LAST UPDATE | 24 Oct
A SEARCH AT the former family home of Kyran Durnin in Dundalk has concluded this evening.
Kyran, who would now be eight years old, was initially reported missing in August.
However, gardaí announced last week that after extensive inquiries, they had been unable to find any evidence that he is alive.
A murder investigation was subsequently launched.
The search of the property on Emer Terrace in Dundalk has now been completed. Yesterday, the search operation was extended to waste ground near the house.
A statement from An Garda Síochána has said the investigating team will not be releasing the results of the search for operational purposes and have renewed their appeal for anyone with any information to come forward.
“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,” a spokesperson said.
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.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland this morning, Justice Minister Helen McEntee said that she “fully expects” that people will be held accountable if necessary in relation to the case.
“I think we’re all devastated at the idea that a child could be missing for potentially two years,” McEntee said.
She said that while the Garda investigation will be “hugely helpful” in understanding what has happened in the last two years, other questions need to be answered.
“Were there failures here? Was there something that could be done? Because there is now a murder investigation. How has this happened? What has happened to Kyran? How do we find him, and how do we make sure that if there are problems here, that we fix them?
I fully expect that with this particular case, when we do get to the bottom of what has happened here, and I really hope we do as quickly as possible, if people need to be held accountable here, that that happens.
“If there are changes that need to happen with any of the structures in our state, that has to happen too. This is a young boy, and really it’s a really devastating case.”
McEntee also encouraged anybody that has any information about the case that they may feel is not significant to come forward, adding that “any small detail might help in this”.
Meanwhile, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris described the case as “extraordinary” and added that he has never seen one like it in his 40-year career.
“I cannot think of a similar set of circumstances, and in that way there’s a particular element to this which is difficult to comprehend,” said Harris.
“But we have our work to do,” he added. “This is a murder investigation and you can be assured that we are pursuing it with full vigour and resources.”
The Garda Commissioner noted that the investigation commenced as a missing persons investigation but that the “suspicions” of garda members were “aroused very quickly”.
“I don’t want to comment on what our next steps might be in terms of searches and what other investigative steps we want to take,” said Harris. “But you can be assured it is fully resourced and it continues at pace.
“We have received a lot of information from the public, certainly since last week, with important information and we encourage anyone who might know anything to come forward,” added the Garda Commissioner.
Speaking in the Dáil yesterday, Taoiseach Simon Harris said “a structure” to get to the bottom of what happened to Kyran will “absolutely” need to take place.
“Let me say at the outset that this is absolutely going to require a structure to get to the exact bottom of this; of that there is no doubt,” he said.
Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman has confirmed that he has asked Tusla to send its files on Kyran to a panel which looks into the death of any child with links to state care.
He said this would not usually happen until an investigation has been completed, but that he has asked the agency to disclose any case files to the National Review Panel.
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.
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