Minister for Justice vows anyone responsible for failing to protect Kyran Durnin (8) will be held accountable

Any person or agency which failed to take adequate measure to protect Kyran Durnin- the eight-year-old child now believed to have been killed up to two years ago– will be held accountable, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee has promised.

The Minister was speaking after it emerged that there has been no confirmed sighting of Kyran since around the time he was removed from his primary school in 2022.

This week gardaí formally opened a murder investigation after stating they have found no evidence the child is still alive.

It is believed Kyran has not been seen around the time he was withdrawn from school in mid 2022. Officials at the time believed he was transferring to a school in Northern Ireland.

[ Kyran Durnin: Why case of missing child is now a murder investigationOpens in new window ]

Gardaí are working on the theory that he was killed shortly after he was last seen.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Ms McEntee said she is “absolutely adamant that if there were failings here people need to be held accountable.”

The Minister called on anyone “with any evidence at all” to come forward “because it is so important that we identify where he is so we can understand what happened to him.

“This is a devastating case. It’s a really upsetting case when you look at the facts and what potentially happened here.”

Asked there if there has been a failure in child protection measures, Ms McEntee it is vital to establish how Kyran remained missing for two years.

She said there is a need to establish “if there were there failings here, how do we address those failings and are there people who need to be held responsible for those failings.”

She said she is “absolutely adamant that if there were failings here, people need to be held accountable.

“We have a young boy who has not been seen in two years. That’s not acceptable. That’s not to be tolerated by anyone. We need to know what happened here. Any agency or person who has not done their job needs to be held responsible.”

Tusla had some dealings with the child’s family in previous years but there was no indication he was a victim of abuse.

The agency is co-operating with gardaí and has handed over a large amount of documentation relating to the child.

Gardaí are now “all but certain” Kyran was killed well before he was reported missing. No remains have been located and no one has been arrested.

Investigators believe at least two people have detailed information on the child’s death. One person known to the child has changed their story a number of times since he was officially reported missing in August, sources said.

Investigators hope the opening of a formal murder inquiry may prompt people suspected of holding important information to co-operate. It will also grant gardaí additional resources and stronger legal powers to secure evidence.

An incident room has been established in Drogheda Garda station and a senior investigation officer has been assigned to oversee the case