Tusla confirms last contact with missing boy's family was in 2020
Gardaí said an area in Donabate will continue to be searched in the coming days
- Published
Tusla, the Irish state agency responsible for child welfare and protection, has confirmed it last had dealings five years ago with a young boy in Donabate, County Dublin who is now missing and presumed dead.
The Child and Family Agency said in a statement their engagement with the family and the child ended in 2020, RTÉ reports.
Gardaí (Irish police) are continuing to search an area of open ground in Donabate for the boy, who would be seven years old now.
Since Tusla's last contact with the family, the child disappeared, with gardaí believing him to be dead. He would have been aged two at the time.
An Garda Síochána believe the child to be missing, presumed dead
In a statement Tusla did not say why their services ceased, or why no further checks or contacts appear to have been made after the child was two years old.
The boy is last known to have resided at apartments in Donabate.
Tusla also said that since 2020 no new referral or information of concern was received about the child until Friday, when they referred the matter to gardaí following a report from the Department of Social Protection.
The Child and Family Agency said it is now conducting a review of its engagement with the family.
The investigation is being led by a Senior Investigating Officer established at Swords Garda Station
An Garda Síochána said it has been "unable to either locate the boy, identify any information on his current whereabouts or any evidence that he is currently alive".
They said he is "missing, presumed dead".
On Tuesday, Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly said officers have taken control of an open area of ground in Donabate which will be subject to a search in coming days.
"A senior investigating officer has been appointed and all necessary expertise and resources have been provided to the investigation," he said.
Tulsa have said they will "continue to work closely with gardaí" throughout the investigation.
No arrests have been made.