Gardaí call off area search for Trevor Deely’s remains

The search of an area of west Dublin for the remains of Trevor Deely has ended without anything being found.

The 22-year-old Bank of Ireland employee went missing on his way home from a Christmas party in December 2000.

No trace of the young Kildare man has ever been found and his family has campaigned annually on the anniversary of his disappearance, seeking the public’s help to find out what happened to him.

In a statement, gardaí said they had completed their search of the site in Chapelizod and that “nothing that furthers the search” for Mr Deely was located.

The site remains closed to the public and gardaí thanked the public for their patience during the operation. The search had just entered its fifth week.

Gardaí had begun the extensive search of the site after a tip-off that the remains of the Mr Deely could be buried there. A gun was discovered during the search but it is not believed to be connected to the case.

In the first few weeks of the search, the Irish Aviation Authority announced a “Temporary Restricted Area” over the search zone following a request from the Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan on security-related grounds.

It meant that all unlicensed aircraft — including model planes and drones — were banned from flying over the area.

The Garda Water Unit was also drafted in as part of the search whihc has been described as “painstaking” in its detail.

Gardaí are investigating if a known criminal is linked to the disappearance after newly enhanced CCTV footage showed Mr Deely talking to a man dressed in black outside the Bank of Ireland on Baggot St. The man has not been identified yet and it is understood that he was not known to Mr Deely.

They have also, once again, renewed their appeal for anyone who may have information in relation to the disappearance to contact the incident room at Pearse Street Garda Station in Dublinon 01-6669000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666111, or any garda station.