Gardaí will today resume excavations at the former family home of missing eight-year-old Kyran Durnin.

Investigators have been carrying out forensic examinations of the house in Dundalk since yesterday morning.

A mini excavator is being used to dig up garden and open ground close to the house will also be searched.

Kyran was reported missing over seven weeks ago; however, Gardaí have since been unable to him or uncover “any evidence that he is currently alive”.

Garda Chief Superintendent Alan McGovern outside Dundalk Garda Station, 22-10-2024. Image: Barry Whyte/Newstalk

Investigators now believe that he has been missing for over two years – and have been unable to find any trace of him since he was withdrawn from school in 2022.

They now believe Kyran is ‘missing, presumed dead’ and have launched a murder inquiry.

Aerial image shows Gardaí carrying out searches at the garden of Kyran Durnin’s former family home in Dundalk, 22-10-2024. Image: Alamy

Gardaí yesterday stressed that the people currently living in the former Durnin family home in Dundalk have no connection to the missing child or the case.

Kyran’s family is known to have lived there until May of this year.

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

Meanwhile, the child and family agency Tusla has launched an internal review to investigate all engagements and interactions staff had with Kyran and his family.

In a statement, the agency said Kyran had not been in its care but it had engaged with the child and his family.

It also said it first notified Gardaí about a “significant concern" in relation to Kyran back in August, the same month he was reported missing.

Tusla said it is continuing to “assist and work closely” with the Gardaí and has shared all relevant information with investigators.

It has also notified the National Review Panel (NRP), which independently reviews cases of serious incidents involving children in care or known to Tusla.

Gardai have confirmed the house they are searching in Dundalk as part of the investigation into the disappearance of Kyran Durnin was the young boy's family home for a number of years.

The property on Emer Terrace was the missing eight-year-old's family home until May of this… pic.twitter.com/ZCd2gfj4dr

— Barry Whyte (@BarryWhyte85) October 22, 2024

Gardaí are continuing to appeal for any information in relation to Kyran’s disappearance.

Speaking yesterday, Garda Chief Superintendent Alan McGovern said any information, “no matter how insignificant it may seem, will be welcomed by the investigation team”.

“We want to discover where Kyran is,” he said. “We want to discover what has happened to Kyran.

“I continue to appeal to anyone who has any information in connection with the disappearance of Kyran to contact investigating Gardaí.

“Do not rule out any information that you may have.

“Please do not assume that the investigation team know the information that you may have.”

The Taoiseach, meanwhile, has said he is "utterly horrified" by the case – noting that Kyran has been “failed badly”.

"For any of us as a human being, for any of us as a parent, to think that a child can affectively disappear, go unnoticed, and not be noticed that they're not there is utterly heartbreaking," he said.

"Clearly something went extraordinarily wrong here," he said.

"This child was failed, was failed badly."

The search continues in Drogheda today.

With reporting from Barry Whyte.