The outcome of an investigation into the case of missing schoolboy Kyran Durnin, who is presumed dead, is expected this week.
Ireland’s Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman said there are three investigations ongoing to find out what happened to Kyran, who was potentially missing for two years unknown to anyone, including the authorities.
It emerged last week that the Child and Family Agency, Tusla, said it raised a “significant concern” around the missing child to police in August.
Earlier this month gardai opened a murder investigation months after Kyran was reported missing along with his mother.
A photo of Kyran Durnin on display outside Dundalk Garda Station (PA)
The youngster’s mother has been located, but investigators say the whereabouts of Kyran remain unknown and he is now presumed dead.
Gardai searched Kyran’s former home in Dundalk, Co Louth, and adjoining lands last week.
Investigators said the results of the search are not being released for “operational purposes”.
Gardai suspect that Kyran may have died in 2022 when he was aged six.
Mr O’Gorman said the whole country was shocked by the case.
“It is deeply troubling that a child was missing, was not in touch with state agencies for a two-year period and we need to understand what went wrong in this particular case,” he told RTE Radio’s This Week programme.
“Right now there are three separate investigations under way. There is a murder investigation through An Garda Siochana, Tusla are undertaking their own review of their engagement with this child and his family and I have asked that the independent National Review Panel will 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.”
Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman said the whole country was shocked by the case (PA)
Mr O’Gorman said he expects to receive information from the Tusla investigation in the week ahead.
“We can’t be complacent when it comes to child protection, it is clear that something went wrong in this particular situation and we need to understand exactly what that was so we can ensure it doesn’t happen again,” he added.
“A child has been missing for two years so there are 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.”
Ireland’s police chief described the case as “extraordinary”, saying he has never seen one like it in his 40-year career.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said there is a “particular element” in the disappearance of the schoolboy that is “difficult to comprehend”.
He said that investigators are pursuing the case with “full vigour and resources”.
Gardai have continued to appeal for information into the child’s disappearance.