The father, who left the country several years ago, has already been speaking to officers about his son’s disappearance. The boy was last seen alive nearly four years ago.
His father was born in Ireland, while his mother is a naturalized Irish citizen originally from Africa. Gardaí are not releasing the young boy’s name or a photograph of him for operational reasons, nor would they confirm the father’s whereabouts.
Meanwhile, the Child and Family Agency, Tusla, has been directed to check on every child whose case was closed during the pandemic. Security sources stated that the missing boy’s father has been engaging with them, but that they need to ask him more questions.
"Ideally, the man would come to Ireland to speak to gardaí here but it looks more certain that gardaí will have to go to him. He has been engaging with them since the investigation started, and gardaí believe he can shed more light on what happened in the days and weeks before his son’s disappearance," a security source said.
Gardaí continue to search a site on the Portrane Road in Donabate, Co. Dublin, less than a five-minute drive from where the little boy lived. Cadaver dogs, as well as specialist digging equipment, have been brought in to assist the search.
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Gardaí remain "extremely careful" about how they are going about the excavation as they believe the boy has been buried in quite a shallow grave.
One security source said: "Every resource that goes into one of these digs has been brought in. There was quite specific information given to gardaí regarding the location of the young boy that they are acting on. They are being extremely careful with how they are digging."
Gardaí continue to interview relatives of the young boy, including those based abroad. They are also attempting to get some family members to return to Ireland so they can help with the investigation and not rely on remote contact with them online.
"This is a case that is leaving no stone unturned, quite literally, so anything that can help gardaí find this child is being done. If this involves getting family members to come back to Ireland to see if anything rings a bell, then so be it," the source said.
Locals held a candle-lit community vigil in Donabate for the boy on Tuesday evening. The boy is the second child known to Tusla to disappear, with gardaí continuing to search for the remains of Kyran Durnin, who would be nine this year if still alive, who was reported missing in August last year, with a murder investigation launched in October.
Kyran Durnin, missing presumed dead.
Minister for Children Norma Foley spoke with Tusla Chief Kate Duggan on Tuesday and requested that the agency conduct a check on all cases that have been closed in recent years.
The minister said: "I asked the CEO of Tusla to undertake a well-being check on all cases, in particular in relation to children during Covid-19, particularly beginning with cases that were closed.
"I know for a variety of reasons, cases can close at different times, they can also reopen. But specifically for cases that have closed, that they would do a well-being check on those children, and Tusla has agreed to do that," Ms Foley said.
Minister for Children Norma Foley.
Tusla is also conducting a rapid review into its dealings with the missing boy and his family with an independent review being undertaken by the National Review Panel.
"I’ve asked the independent review panel to make that a priority," Ms Foley said.
"And I’ve also asked them that they would extend their review not just to Tusla, but indeed, to any other state organizations or groups, whoever might have had any contact with this child."
The minister said it is important to establish whether there are any "systemic issues that might be arising" within the organization, which described itself as being at a "crisis" point two years ago, as it found its services under major strain.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin yesterday cautioned against "rushing to conclusions" in the Donabate case.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
"It is very, very distressing in terms of what has happened here. The Garda investigation is underway, I would caution against people rushing to conclusions and apportioning blame far too early.
"It is very, very distressing when a child goes missing in this manner, without anyone being aware in authority and also in the context of a child losing their life. It is the second such case now and that is concerning," he said.
Tusla said it had dealings with the missing boy five years ago. It said, at the request of the family, its services had engaged with the boy and his family until 2020.
"Since 2020, no new referral or new information of concern was received about this boy until August 2025. On foot of this, we contacted An Garda Síochána with our concerns for the safety and well-being of the child," the agency said.
Additional reporting by Craig Hughes.
* This article was originally published on Extra.ie.
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