Tusla confirms 'previous engagement' with boy who is missing and presumed dead 

Tusla, the child and family agency, has confirmed that it had previous dealings with a boy who is missing from Co Dublin and is now presumed dead.

In a statement, Tusla said that at the request of the family, "our services had previous engagement with this child and their family, and these services ceased in 2020".

Gardaí have been investigating the disappearance of the young boy who was last seen four years ago. They have been unable to find him or uncover any evidence that he is still alive.

On Tuesday evening, Tusla said that since 2020, no new referral or information of concern was received about this child until August 2025. 

"On foot of this we contacted An Garda Síochána with our concerns for the safety and wellbeing of the child."

The statement added: "As is normal process, where there is a serious incident or death involving a child open to, or previously known to our service, we conduct a review of our engagement and that review is sent to the National Review Panel.

"While this is being completed, the priority must be on allowing An Garda Siochana to complete their investigations, without doing anything to interfere with that, and with that in mind, we will not be providing further detail on our involvement with the child and their family at this time."

Earlier, new Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly said gardaí in Swords are investigating all the circumstances surrounding the boy’s disappearance.

“Tragically, investigating gardaí believe the boy is deceased,” Mr Kelly said.

Commissioner Kelly also said that while “progress is slow” in the investigation into missing child Kyran Durnin in Co Louth, gardaí were working “every line of inquiry”.

He said that the “smallest piece of information” could be hugely significant in the investigation.

He said that whenever people “withhold information” in a case it makes it difficult for gardaí to investigate.

On Monday, gardaí sealed off open ground in Donabate, Co Dublin, which will be searched in the coming days, Mr Kelly confirmed.

“A senior investigating officer has been appointed. And all necessary expertise and resources are being provided to the investigation."

He appealed for anyone with information to contact gardaí.

Concerns for the boy were raised by Tusla and reported to gardaí on Friday.

A garda statement said: “The boy is last known to have resided at The Gallery Apartments, Donabate, Co Dublin.

“It has been a number of years since there has been any confirmed sighting of the boy, who would now be seven years of age."

The case emerged exactly a year after gardaí received a similar report about the disappearance of a six-year-old child, Kyran Durnin, in Louth.

A garda source described the parallels between the two cases as a “macabre coincidence.”

The Dublin case relates to a boy who lived in Donabate but has not been seen since he was around three and a half years old.

Gardaí on an area of open ground in Donabate, Co Dublin during a search for a boy who has not been seen for several years and is feared dead. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire

There are no records of him starting school. He would be approximately seven years old now, if alive.

The case was brought to gardaí after an application was made for social welfare in respect of the child.

Although gardaí have not released details about the family involved, it is understood the mother has spoken to investigators in recent days.

North Dublin gardaí began inquiries with a search and technical examination of an apartment in the Portrane area on Saturday.

Several other locations are also being searched.

Multiple allegations about what happened to the child have been made in the last three days, but they differ from one another. Gardaí are examining each claim to establish the truth.

Sources described the case as “convoluted,” but gardaí continue to pursue all lines of inquiry.

They are trying to establish a clear timeline of the child’s whereabouts and identify both family members and state officials who had contact with him.

This includes speaking to relatives, neighbours, and locals, as well as checking with play schools, schools, and GPs.

A source said: “Our belief would be that the child is deceased. How that has happened is still to be determined.

"It is scarily similar to the Kyran Durnin case." 

'Everybody's devastated'

Labour councillor Corina Johnston, who lives in Donabate, said children walked past the major garda search operation on their way to school on Tuesday.

Some families have asked about counselling to help their children process the news, she added.

“The area that has been cordoned off is quite close to some of the local schools,” she said.

“So a lot of young children going to school this morning asked their mums and dads what was going on. It’s horrific. They're difficult questions for parents to answer, particularly for very small children. Everybody's devastated.

“There’s a sense of shock, disbelief that this has happened. We're a very tight-knit community here in Donabate.” 

Residents of The Gallery Apartments, where the boy was last known to have lived, are particularly traumatised, she said.

“People are very upset. They just keep asking, 'How did this happen?' It's just dreadful. This is a fairly quiet area, the population has been growing but it’s still a small town. Nobody could ever think this could happen on your own doorstep.

“Everybody knows everybody in Donabate, and that's adding to the upset.

“The main concern is for the child and how did this happen? There are questions that will have to be answered, but that’s for another day. At the moment it’s quite raw.” 

Ms Johnston urged anyone with information to contact gardaí.