A post-mortem is due to take place today on a set of human remains which were found at a south Dublin train station yesterday afternoon. Conor Lally reports.
The remains were found in thick undergrowth at Killiney DART station after construction workers demolished a wall.
Gardaí were alerted at around midday and the area was immediately sealed off. Members of the Garda Technical Bureau carried out a full examination of the scene and the Deputy State Pathologist, Dr Michael Curtis, also carried out a preliminary examination at the track-side scene.
The bones of the male were taken to the morgue in Dublin city centre at around 5 p.m. where a full post-mortem is due to take place today.
Gardaí will not know an exact cause of death until that examination has been concluded. However, they believe the remains may have lain where they were found for a number of years.
Gardaí have already begun to consult missing persons files for men who went missing in recent years. It is hoped any dental records held on file may reveal the identity of the remains.
Some clothing was found beside the bones on a slope leading down to Killiney beach. However, garments worn by the deceased had almost completely rotted away, with the exception of a pair of trainers which were still largely intact.
One Garda source said foul play could not be completely ruled out until the results of the post-mortem became known today. However, he said there was "nothing at the scene to indicate foul play". The area remained sealed off overnight and a search by gardaí of the undergrowth is planned for today.
A spokesman for Iarnród Éireann said the remains were discovered by some of its own staff and construction workers after a seven-foot wall was demolished by workers building a lift shaft for a bridge over the track.
The area where the bones lay contained thick undergrowth and was hidden from public view by the wall which was demolished. The remains were found as the undergrowth was being cleared by the construction workers.