She acknowledged that the disappearance of a child would not have been apparent during Covid lockdowns.

O’Keefe also said it was “past time” that the investigation had been set up as the O’Keefe Judgement had been in place since 2014.

Ms Gallagher said she was pleased to hear that Marie Claire Butler was going to have a meeting with the Minister for Children.

Caoilfhionn Gallagher, the State's special rapporteur on child protection, said the case was deeply concerning