A search at a property and its adjoining garden in Drogheda, Co Louth being carried out by gardaí investigating the disappearance and murder of schoolboy Kyran Durnin has been stood down for the night.
The search operation, which was launched this morning, will resume again tomorrow at first light.
Gardaí have said that technical and forensic examinations are being carried out at the house in Drogheda.
They say that the purpose of the search is to discover any evidence which might provide them with information about the whereabouts of the missing schoolboy, who would now be eight years old.
Gardaí cordoned off the search site early this morning and a large number of gardaí were involved in the search operation today, including members of the Garda Technical Bureau.
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The search focused on the garden at the rear of the property and a mini-digger was used to carry out excavation works.
It is understood that people connected to the property have been of interest in the case for some time.
The search is expected to take at least another day to complete.
Last October, gardaí investigating Kyran's disappearance upgraded their missing person's case to one of murder.
They say that despite public support and their extensive and ongoing enquiries to date, they have been unable to locate Kyran, who was last seen alive in 2022 when he was aged six.
Two people, a man and a woman, have previously been arrested on suspicion of the schoolboy's murder. Both were released without charge.
Meanwhile, three houses have previously been searched, one in Dundalk and two in Drogheda.
The man, who was arrested in December as part of the investigation and questioned by gardaí before being released without charge, was later found dead at his house in Drogheda.
He was named locally as 36-year-old Anthony Maguire.
Mr Maguire's house and its adjoining garden were the subject of what gardaí described as an "intrusive" search that was carried out in mid-December.
Gardaí said the results of this search and the search of a property in Dundalk last October were not being released for operational reasons.
The last confirmed sighting of Kyran was in or around June 2022. He was reported missing over two years later at the end of August 2024.
Detectives are working on the assumption that he may have died up to two years ago.
In a statement, confirming that a fourth search operation had been launched, gardaí also warned against the spread of what they described as ill-informed public commentary about the investigation.
"An Garda Síochána is aware of ongoing extensive public commentary on this investigation, including speculation, rumours and theories on what may have happened to Kyran, most of which is inaccurate and misinformed.
"Such ill-informed public commentary is not only disruptive to the Garda investigations but also adds to the trauma experienced by victims families," the statement said.
Gardaí have also renewed their appeal for anyone with information in relation to the case to come forward.
They are asking members of the public not to assume that the investigation team already knows this information, no matter how insignificant it may seem.
They say any information that is forthcoming will be treated in the strictest confidence.
The investigation team can be contacted at Drogheda Garda Station on 041 987 4200, or information can be passed on via the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111 or through any garda station.
