The Irish father of a toddler snatched in New Zealand has begged for his two-year-old daughter Aisling to be returned.

"We're barely existing," said devastated Alan Symes from Waterford.

"Aisling is our two-year-old daughter, a sister of Caitlin, a cousin and a beloved niece and granddaughter. We want her back, so please if you have any information, any at all, please come forward."

"These recent days have proved to be the most harrowing of our lives," he told a hushed press conference in New Zealand.

"No sleep, we feel like we're barely existing, surviving every moment not knowing where Aisling is. Is she near us? Or has she been moved far away."

Parents Alan and Angela Symes made their plea four days after Aisling was abducted near grandparents' home in WestAuckland.

The New Zealand police now has 40 people working round-the-clock to help find the toddler.

Aisling disappeared about 5pm New Zealand time on Monday from her deceased grandparents'  home, which her mother, Angela, was cleaning.

Neighbour Cherie Tahitahi said she heard Aisling and her five-year-old sister Caitlin giggling at some ducklings

Initially, police believed she may have wandered off and slipped into a nearby stream.

However, they now say she was most likely abducted.