Search Continues for Missing Boy, Concerns Raised Over Review Processes
A search is ongoing for a boy who disappeared four years ago and is now presumed dead, with excavation work entering its third day in donabate, north Co Dublin.The boy, who would now be seven years old, was previously known to Tusla, Ireland’s child and family agency. Gardaí have expanded the search perimeter, cordoning off a further section of a field adjacent to the original site.
The case has prompted renewed criticism of the National Review Panel (NRP), the body to which Tusla referred the matter. Dr. niall Muldoon, the Children’s Ombudsman, described the situation as “shocking” and highlighted the NRP’s limitations. He stated the NRP lacks statutory power and self-reliant authority to publish its findings.
Dr. Muldoon pointed out that the case of Kyran Durnin, another child whose disappearance is under inquiry, was also referred to the NRP over a year ago, with no report yet released.He reiterated previous agreements between Tusla and the Department of Children that the NRP is “not fit for purpose.”
The Ombudsman’s office published a Child Death Review report in April, raising “serious concerns” about the NRP’s effectiveness and calling for an independent, timely, and statutory child-centred review mechanism. The report emphasized the need for a broad-ranging review, acknowledging that children often interact with multiple services.
A key flaw identified was the NRP’s lack of a statutory basis,which has hindered its ability to access details,collaborate with agencies,and maintain effective governance. The Ombudsman’s office recommended the Department of Children, Disability and Equality collaborate with them to address the issue while a new statutory mechanism is established.
The establishment of a statutory Child Death Review mechanism was included in the Programme for Government, but the Department of An Taoiseach has yet to designate a lead department for its implementation. Dr. Muldoon has written to Taoiseach Micheál Martin requesting an “urgent update” on this matter.
Dr. Muldoon stressed that referring serious incidents to the NRP, which reports to Tusla’s Board of Management, is insufficient. He stated his office will engage with Minister for Children Norma Foley and senior Tusla officials to explore the use of statutory powers to examine systemic issues related to missing children.
