GARDAÍ searching for missing eight-year-old Kyran Durnin have extended their search to wasteland behind the family's former home.
Kyran and his mother Dayla Durnin were reported missing on August 30.
Last week, gardaí identified the whereabouts of Dayla Durnin but said they were now treating Kyran's disappearance as a murder investigation.
Gardaí say there is no evidence to suggest he is alive and also believe he has been missing for around two years.
Search
On Monday gardaí obtained a search warrant for the former Durnin family home on Emer Terrace in Dundalk and commenced a search of the house yesterday.
"The purpose of these searches are to discover any evidence which might provide us with information as to Kyran's current whereabouts or what has happened to Kyran," said Chief Superintendent Alan McGovern on Tuesday.
Kyran Durnin is presumed dead (Image: An Garda Síochána)"The house is known to have been Kyran's family home for a period of years up to May 2024.
"I must emphasise that the current tenants of this house are not connected in anyway with Kyran or his disappearance."
The search of the house continued today, while diggers have also been brought in to help search wasteland behind the house.
'Utterly horrified'
Meanwhile, Taoiseach Simon Harris has told the Dáil that it is 'the saddest and most painful thing' that a child could go missing for two years without questions being asked.
"I do not think there is a person on any side of this House, or in Ireland, who is not both utterly horrified and heartbroken at what is emerging in relation to the case of young Kyran Durnin," he said during leaders' Questions.
"This is nothing to do with political establishment or any sort of rhetoric. This is just to do with basic humanity.
"An eight-year-old boy effectively went missing for two years and the saddest and most painful thing is that nobody asked why or where he was for that period of time.
"Any one of us thinking that this could happen to any child is deeply upsetting."
Anyone with information on Kyran Durnin's whereabouts is asked to contact the Garda Investigation Team at Drogheda Garda Station on 041 987 4200, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666111 or speak with any member of An Garda Síochána.
