How can a child disappear in Ireland without the alarm being raised?

Kyran Dirnan case puts spotlight on how schools and Tusla monitor children

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Kyran Durnin has been missing from his home in Drogheda, Co Louth since late August. Photograph: An Garda Síochana
Kyran Durnin has been missing from his home in Drogheda, Co Louth since late August. Photograph: An Garda Síochana

How can a child go missing for up to two years and nobody notice? That’s the question that hangs over the case of Kyran Durnin, the eight-year-old boy from Louth who has been missing for two years.

Kyran Durnin was reported missing along with his mother Dayla Durnin (24) at the end of August by a family member. Gardaí, having made an appeal for information on their whereabouts on September 4th, stood down the missing people inquiry two weeks ago after tracing his mother in the UK and speaking to her.

Finding no evidence her son was alive they upgraded the investigation to one of murder.

There are many questions that need to be answered about the disappearance and death of the little boy.

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Irish Times social affairs correspondent Kitty Holland has been at the site of one of the searches and she explains the role the State, from Tusla to the Department of Education, in protecting children.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon.

Bernice Harrison

Bernice Harrison

Bernice Harrison is an Irish Times journalist and cohost of In the News podcast