Irish Examiner view: Missing children shame us all
In this case, Kyran Durnin was living in Donabate but has not been seen since he was around three and a half years old. If alive, he would now be seven years of age. Picture: Garda Press Office
It is almost exactly a year since the tragic Kyran Durnin story first emerged. He has not been seen in public since 2022, when he was six years old, and it is widely believed that he has been killed but his remains have not been discovered.
This horrifying story has still not reached a conclusion, and when it first came to light, a very obvious question was asked: How could a child vanish from sight for years on end without the relevant State agencies and authorities becoming involved?
Such questions are likely to be asked again in the light of another developing story which has emerged in Dublin. As reported here on Tuesday , gardaí are searching land in North Dublin in connection with an investigation into the disappearance of another little boy.
In this case, the boy was living in Donabate but has not been seen since he was around three and a half years old. If alive, he would now be seven years of age.
The questions raised about the oversight of relevant agencies in the Kyran Durnin case may not apply here in quite the same way. The Dublin case was initially brought to the attention of gardaí after an application was made for social welfare in respect of the missing child, an aspect of the situation that is likely to be examined very closely as the situation develops.
However, the primary focus must be on locating this little boy as soon as possible. There will be time afterwards to consider the wider context of such cases, but what kind of society are we living in when children can disappear for years on end? Can we even use the term “society” when something like this comes to light not once but twice in one year?
If we are not all shamed by this story, then surely we have lost our way.
The new Garda commissioner has wasted no time in setting out his stall.
Monday was Justin Kelly’s first full day in the hot seat and he immediately stated that the force must strengthen its capacity to counter rapidly emerging threats to frontline policing, organised crime, and national security.
Mr Kelly also made sure to issue a message to all gardaí to tell them he appreciates the pressures and challenges faced by them, adding that he intends to make sure they have everything they need to do their job and to remove hindrances that stop them from doing so.
This is admirable on a number of fronts.
There can be no doubt that his predecessor, Drew Harris, leaves a mixed legacy, not least with rank and file members of the force, and Mr Kelly’s support of his colleagues is a positive step.
However, he also faces a significant challenge in strengthening public faith in the gardaí after a succession of embarrassments.
The highly critical report on roads policing in recent weeks was a good example of the damage being done to the force’s reputation.
As reported here by Cormac O’Keeffe this week, Mr Kelly’s challenges include the issues of recruitment and retention; Garda staff bodies’ opposition to the new operating model; the booming drugs trade; and the growing threat of anti-immigrant and far-right hostility and violence.
Dealing with these issues is a daunting prospect in itself. Is it complicated by the fact that the commissioner combines overseeing our national security with responsibility for traditional policing?
Perhaps the modern world needs those different tasks to be combined. Cybercrime can mean theft or fraud for personal gain, for instance, as well as state terrorism.
Time will tell if Mr Kelly can function in both roles, but for all our sakes, we must hope he can. His is one of the most important roles in Irish public life and he has the best wishes of all.
As mentioned above, the new Garda Commissioner has a pretty full in-tray as he settles behind his desk this week.
The much-discussed ‘dodgy box’ may not be the most pressing item which demands his focus, but it is certainly worth readers’ attention.
There were raids this week on 15 retail outlets in nine counties which were targeted in an enforcement operation to clamp down on those using dodgy boxes to access illegal streaming services.
Federation Against Copyright Theft agents delivered legal notices to those retailers with a deadline to stop these activities or face further action.
Use of such dodgy boxes is seen by many as a victimless crime and a harmless indulgence, one which saves users on subscription fees at a time of rising prices.
Unfortunately the truth is that use of such a device is theft, plain and simple — it is taking without paying, with those providing the content left unpaid.
Whether those stealing content in this way would be happy to work for nothing themselves remains unclear.
There are also well established links between organised crimes and these devices.
Those using illegal dodgy boxes are at risk of fraud and identity theft, with little recourse when that happens because the devices are unlawful to begin with.
Finally, stealing in this way undermines the rule of law and — perhaps more importantly — respect for the rule of law. If we are happy to ignore laws, and let others subsidise our theft, we cannot complain when other laws are ignored in turn.
