Gardaí are attempting to unravel several conflicting witness accounts of what happened to a boy who went missing four years ago and is feared dead.
Searches for the child’s remains in an area of ground in north Dublin are expected to continue for several more days.
Gardaí began searching the area on Monday after two people close to the child indicated his body is buried there. Investigators believe this information is likely accurate.
One witness account provided to investigators last week states the child was killed at the age of three by someone known to him.
READ MORE
Another, more recent, witness account says he died in his sleep and his death was concealed from authorities.
Without a body, however, it is unlikely gardaí will be able to determine with certainty what happened to the child, said sources.
The child’s mother, who lives in Ireland, and his father, who lives abroad, have both spoken to gardaí. Sources said members of the force are likely to travel overseas soon to interview the father in person.
On Monday, gardaí began searching a plot of land several acres in size in Donabate, north Co Dublin.
A dog trained to locate human remains was brought in. On Wednesday, gardaí were concentrating on a smaller patch within the larger cordoned-off area.
A drone was also used to survey the land and identify recent disturbances to the earth. Gardaí may also deploy ground-penetrating radar in the coming days.
Sources cautioned that the search may take some time. The area comprises scrubland with heavy brush growing to hip height in places.
Trees cover one part of the search area, while another is marshland, the result of water run-off from the nearby estates.
The land was accessible by car until several years ago, when gates were erected.
The boy would be seven years old if still alive. He last lived in an apartment in Donabate before apparently disappearing without a trace. That apartment has also been searched.
Concerns for the boy were raised by child and family agency Tusla and reported to gardaí on Friday. Tusla has confirmed that at the family’s request, it took the boy into care during the early part of his life.
The boy spent about a year in care before returning to his family in 2020. Tusla said it had no contact with the child between 2020 and last week.
On Wednesday, Minister for Children Norma Foley said Tusla will now check on the welfare of all children who were in its care or who were known to it during the Covid period, and whose cases are now closed.
Ms Foley described the case as “disturbing”. She said she has asked Tusla to “undertake a wellbeing check on all cases, in particular cases of children [known to the agency] during Covid, particularly beginning with cases that were closed. It behoves us all ... I am very conscious of the Covid period”.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin warned people against “rushing to conclusions” in the case.
Mr Martin said the State had a “robust” child-protection system.
“The Garda investigation is under way, I would caution against people rushing to conclusions and apportioning blame far too early ... It is very, very distressing when a child goes missing in this manner, without anyone being aware in authority and also in the context of a child losing their life. It is the second such case now, and that is concerning,” said Mr Martin.
Questions have been raised about Tusla after a similar case came to light last year.
Kyran Durnin from Co Louth, who would be nine this year if still alive, was reported missing in August last year and a murder investigation was opened in October.
