Gardaí are "no closer to making any arrests" in the Kyran Durnin murder investigation.

Garda sources have confirmed to Newstalk that arrests will only be made in this case when "enough evidence is gathered".

A three-day search of Kyran’s former family home and nearby wasteland was completed yesterday afternoon.

The search involved a mini digger and the excavation of the back patio area and garden of the property.

After the search was completed, Gardaí said they were not releasing the result for operational reasons.

Gardaí remove equipment from scene of search for missing Kyran Durning. Image: Bauer Media

On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, Newstalk's Chief Reporter Barry Whyte said "no significant evidence" was found in the search.

"If Gardaí were to arrest someone now, it would then be much harder to go arrest them a second time during the same investigation," he said.

Meanwhile, the Irish Independent reports this morning that the missing eight-year-old was listed as a guest at a Dundalk B&B for over four weeks this summer.

Barry said police are continuing to appeal for any information related to the case, adding that nobody should "rule out" any information that they might have or "assume that the investigation team know the information that they may have".

Sightings

Barry said Gardaí have received numerous calls from members of the public who believe they may have seen Kyran.

"Detectives hope [these calls] will help them establish if Kyran was seen alive and whether that was over two years ago," Mr Whyte said.

"Garda investigators are working around the clock on what is a murder case, though they're not ruling out the possibility that Kyran died another way and his death was then concealed.

"It's also my understanding that they have identified another property in Drogheda, and they plan to search that in the near future."

Gardaí carrying out searches at Kyran Durnin’s former family home in Dundalk, 22-10-2024. Image: Barry Whyte/Newstalk

Kyran was first reported missing in August; however, Gardaí now believe he was last seen more than two years ago.

They have launched a murder inquiry and are investigating on the basis that Kyran is “missing, presumed dead”.

At a press conference yesterday, Commissioner Drew Harris said the case is “difficult to comprehend” and he hasn't "seen the like of it" in his 40 years with the Gardaí.

The case was also raised in the Dáil on Wednesday, with Taoiseach Simon Harris calling for a "structure" to be put in place to "get to the bottom" of the eight-year-old's disappearance.

"I think any one of us thinking that that could happen to any child is deeply upsetting," he said.

Gardaí launched a renewed call for information yesterday, noting that they have received a large volume of important information since the original call-out on October 16th.

A mechanical digger used by Gardai leaves the area as a search of waste ground continues behind a house in Dundalk, Co Louth, in the investigation into the suspected murder of eight-year-old Kyran Durnin. 24/10/24. Image: PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo