Search for Irish women missing since 1990s ends for the night

A search taking place in the Republic of Ireland as part of the investigation into the disappearance and murders of Josephine "Jo Jo" Dullard and Deirdre Jacob in the 1990s has ended for the night.

Gardaí (Irish police) will resume the search on Tuesday, where the force is searching open ground at a location near the border between Wicklow and Kildare.

They added that the area of land would be "searched and subject to excavation, technical and forensic examinations over the coming days".

Dullard went missing in 1995, while Jacob disappeared in 1998.

Gardaí said they "continue to keep an open mind into these investigations".

Dullard, 21, went missing from Moone in County Kildare on 9 November 1995, after earlier socialising in Dublin.

The case was upgraded from a missing persons to a murder inquiry in 2020.

Jacob disappeared on 28 July 1998, aged 18.

She was last seen crossing the road towards the entrance to her home at Roseberry, Newbridge, County Kildare.

The investigation into her disappearance was upgraded to a murder inquiry in 2018.

Gardaí said the search operation "has the support of other state expertise, if required" and they continue to keep the families of the two women updated.

They have appealed to "anyone with any information, no matter how small or insignificant" to contact them.

The operation is being led by the organisation's Serious Crime Review Team, the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation supported by the Garda National Technical Bureau and local resources from the Kildare Division.