Members of the Garda Technical Bureau have resumed forensic examinations at the scene of a fatal fire at a farmhouse in Co Kilkenny.
30-year-old Sharon Whelan and her daughters, seven-year-old Zsara and two-year-old Nadia, died in the blaze on Christmas morning.
Dozens of gardaí are now working on this investigation, including specialist units from outside of the Kilkenny division.
The course of the inquiry will depend a lot on what results arise from the post mortem examinations carried out by the State pathologist’s office.
While not being confirmed officially by gardaí, the indications at this stage are that Sharon Whelen was dead before the fire claimed the lives of her two young children, that there was no smoke in her lungs, and there is a possibility that she was strangled.
There were some marks on her neck.
A series of extensive toxicology and other tests have been carried out on body of the mother of two.
Gardaí are officially awaiting the results of these tests before upgrading the status of the investigation.
Gardaí still cannot confirm how Sharon Whelan died, nor have they established the cause of the fire.
A private rosary service will take place tomorrow evening at a funeral home in Callan, Co Kilkenny at 6pm.
The removal of the bodies from that funeral home will take place on New Year's Day to the church at Windgap for funeral mass at noon on New Year's Day.
Burial will take place directly afterwards in the adjoining cemetary.
