THE mother of missing 21-year-old Paul Byrne flew home from Spain yesterday anxiously awaiting confirmation that skeletal remains found in Co Wicklow belong to her son.

Father-of-two Paul Byrne has been missing since 15 July, 2009, when two men in a wine-coloured Mitsubishi Charisma drove to his home in Kilmartin Green, Tallaght, Dublin, and drove out of the estate with the 21-year-old.

Gardaí believe a skull and other skeletal remains found on Thursday and Friday at Ballyfolan, near Manor Kilbride in west Wicklow, are those of Paul Byrne. Forensic tests are expected to confirm it early next week.

"I will be getting a flight home from Spain today," his mother Ashley Dempsey told the Sunday Tribune yesterday. "I am still waiting to hear some news from the gardaí. At this stage, we just hope to find out if it's Paul or not. The not knowing what happened to him has been very difficult for the family."

Other members of Paul Byrne's family have been to search the site, which is about 11km from Blessington. The search was started at lunchtime on Thursday when workmen clearing a wooded area found a human skull.

The area was immediately sealed off and state pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy was notified. During a resumed search on Friday, more bones and items of clothing were found and taken away for forensic examination. A garda search team was continuing searching the area this weekend.

Gardaí believe that Byrne, who was not involved in criminality, was murdered.