Gardaí investigating the disappearance of a child who they suspect has died, are beginning a search of open ground in north Co Dublin.
The child, a boy who would now be seven years old, has not been seen for at least three years, when he was around three and a half years old.
The search is expected to last a number of days.
The Minister for Children Norma Foley has said she is deeply concerned for the welfare of the child.
Tusla, the State’s child and family agency, has described it as “a sensitive case”.
Gardaí have said that they are keeping an open mind in the investigation into the disappearance of the young child in north Co Dublin who is now presumed dead.
The case came to light last week after the Department of Social Protection raised concerns with Tusla following an application for social welfare.
The application, which was made for child benefit in the name of the child, was examined and the department carried out inquiries.
The department then discovered that there was no record of the child having ever gone to school.
Last Friday, Tusla alerted the gardaí, who carried out searches and a technical examination at an apartment in Donabate over the weekend.
The boy is last known to have lived at the Gallery Apartments in the area.
Detectives have been unable to either locate the child, identify any information on his current whereabouts, or find any evidence that he is currently alive.
Last night, gardaí took control of open ground in Donabate, and a search of the area will commence today.
They are searching for the remains of the child which if discovered, could help establish a cause of death.
They say they have not ruled out any possibility, from homicide to natural causes or accidental death.
An incident room has been set up in Swords Garda Station (pic: RollingNews.ie)
They have spoken to the child’s parents and wider family members, some of whom are abroad, as part of the investigation.
They also say they are not in a position to identify the boy or his family at this time “for operational reasons”.
No arrests have been made.
Gardaí have issued an appeal for anyone with information to contact the incident room at Swords Garda Station.
They have also requested the media to provide them with the space and time to carry out this search operation sensitively.
CEO of Children’s Rights Alliance expresses shock at case
The CEO of the Children’s Rights Alliance has expressed her shock at the case.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland programme, Tanya Ward said she had to read the story twice in order to believe it, particularly “because of the similarities of the Kyran Durnin case and it’s absolutely shocking to hear that something like this has happened”.
Kyran Durnin was reported missing from his home in Drogheda, Co Louth, a year ago. Gardaí are working on the assumption that Kyran, who would now be nine years old, is missing presumed dead and that he may have died up to three years ago.
Regarding the missing boy in Donabate, Ms Ward pointed out that the child’s age range means he may have fallen through the cracks as a result of Covid and the absence of contact with frontline staff and family during the lockdown periods.
However, she added there are a range of people including public health nurses and GPs that could have been in contact with the family over the years.
“I do wonder about the role of Covid, but … there’s public health nurses, there’s GPs, there’s early year services he may have been in contact with. And I’m thinking about: Did anyone see anything? Did anyone intervene? Is there something that could have been done to help this child early in his life?”
Ms Ward said it is terrifying for those working in the child protection sector that something like this could have happened to a small child.