Gardaí (Irish police) investigating the suspected murder of an eight-year-old boy are to search his former family home in Dundalk, County Louth.
Kyran Durnin was reported missing from his family’s current home in Drogheda in August.
Last week, gardaí began a murder investigation after saying they were unable to locate Kyran or identify information on his whereabouts.
They said they believe Kyran is “missing and presumed dead”.
Irish broadcaster RTÉ News previously reported that police believe he may have been killed more than two years ago.
On Monday, police took possession of a private house in Dundalk, which will be searched later, as well as the garden and adjoining ground.
At a press conference, Chief Superintendent Alan McGovern stood outside Dundalk Garda station flanked by two images of the missing Kyran Durnin.
He confirmed that the location of the search is a house in Emer Terrace, Dundalk.
He said the property is known to have been the Kyran family home for a period of years until May 2024.
He explained there will be forensic and technical examinations of the house, garden and adjoining open ground.
Ch Supt McGovern emphasised that the current tenants of the house are not connected in anyway with Kyran’s disappearance.
He told the gathered reporters that Kyran was a student at a local school in Dundalk until the end of the 2021/22 school year.
Despite extensive enquiries, the gardaí have been unable to either locate Kyran or find any evidence that he is currently alive.
Gardaí added that the Irish child welfare organisation Tulsa is fully operating with the investigation.
It is hoped the searches will provide information as to Kyran’s current whereabouts or what happened to him.
In early September, gardaí issued a missing persons appeal for both Kyran and his 24-year-old mother Dayla Durnin.
At the time, they said the pair had been last seen a week earlier.
The missing persons report was was filed at Drogheda Garda Station on 30 August.
Dayla Durnin was subsequently located and her missing person appeal was then cancelled, but there has been no sign of the boy.
