Search continues for missing boy feared dead

Gardai have spent a 12th day in an area of open ground in north Dublin as part of the search for a missing boy, who is believed to have died.

The child, who would be seven years old, has not been seen for several years. He has not been publicly identified.

On Friday, excavators were seen digging at a field in Donabate which has been fenced off with hoarding, erected by contractors.

On Thursday, An Garda Siochana told drone operators to stay away from the site after two unmanned aircraft systems were detected in the area on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The case first came to public attention after the child and family agency Tusla raised concerns about the boy’s welfare with gardai on August 29.

The overgrown patch of land off the Portrane Road was then sealed off by investigators on September 1.

On September 2, Tusla confirmed it had dealings with the missing child five years ago.

It said it had engaged with the child and his parents until 2020 at the request of the family.

A fostering arrangement was put in place but the parents ultimately decided to keep the child, having been provided with support.

The matter has been referred to the independent National Review Panel for investigation.

After the case became public, Children’s Minister Norma Foley said Tusla would undertake “wellbeing checks” on cases closed during the pandemic after questions were raised about the child and the family agency’s actions during that time.

The case came to public attention around the same time as the one-year anniversary that another child was reported missing and is now also feared dead.

Kyran Durnin, who would be nine years old this year if still alive, was reported missing in August last year and a murder investigation was launched in October.

Gardai believe he might have died aged six after it emerged he had not been seen since May 2022 when he was a pupil at a primary school in Dundalk.