'Serious questions to be asked' - Post mortem to take place on remains found in Dublin search

A post-mortem is expected to take place today after Gardaí discovered human remains while searching for missing child, Daniel Aruebose.

The remains, which are believed to be Daniel's, were found during a search of open ground on Portrane Road in Donabate, north county Dublin, on Wednesday.

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It is understood little Daniel, whose last known address was at The Gallery Apartments in Donabate, county Dublin, was last seen when he was three and that he was first placed in Tusla's care as his parents wanted to get him adopted but then changed their minds.

Tusla confirmed that they were engaging with the child and his family up until 2020, but say there were no concerns for the child's safety and wellbeing until August 2025 when staff contacted the Gardaí.

Speaking on Newstalk on Thursday morning, reporter Barry Whyte gave an update on the investigation as he was close to the site where Gardaí made the heartbreaking discovery.

"Gardaí remained at the site at this area of wasteland on the Portrane Road in Donabate until it got dark last night.

"The area remains cordoned off, [and] there were diggers on site. There was a large spotlight that remained focused on this particular area, where the remains and some clothing was found yesterday.

"The state pathologist should be arriving today. The skeletal remains of Daniel Aruebose who is believed to [have been] around two-and-a-half to three years old will [then] be exhumed.

"The Garda Technical Bureau will conduct a forensic examination of the area where the body was found.

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"once this is done, DNA tests will be carried out to confirm the child's identity, but Gardaí are confident that it is little Daniel, and then a post mortem will be carried out.

The results of the post mortem will then decide what steps of the investigation Gardaí will take as detectives will try to find out what happened to Daniel, although, detectives are hoping the results will show the cause of death, whether that be by natural cause, an accident, or something more sinister.

Daniel's parents have remained in contact and have cooperated with Gardaí throughout the investigation.

State bodies like Tusla are now under heavy scrutiny as the question is being asked; how has the disappearance of Daniel gone unnoticed for four years?

"There's serious questions to be asked here, and we've heard it over the last number of weeks. The Children's Ombudsman has been very critical of Tusla, we know that there's going to be a review by the National Review Panel.

"The Minister for Children, Norma Foley, sad yesterday that it [the review] should happen soon, but how soon, we don't know"