Two or three people, now aged in their late 30s or early 40s, could hold the key to unlocking the 30-year-old mystery surrounding the fate of Philip Cairns.

Gardaí believe people who were children when Philip Cairns disappeared in October 1986 may have information about his schoolbag.

It is claimed new revelations linking a convicted sex offender to the disappearance of a teenager may encourage more victims to come forward.

A school bag found during the search for Philip Cairns will be examined for DNA evidence.

Gardaí are examining DNA profiles in the case of boy who has been missing from Dublin for 30 years.

A wooded area in a golf club is being excavated in the search for a schoolboy missing for 23 years, it emerged tonight.