GARDAI are now to prepare a file for the Director of Public Prosecutions following the release last night, without charge, of five people, three women and two men. The five were questioned during the day about the disappearance of Ms Fiona Pender.
The 25-year-old pregnant woman was reported last seen at her home in Tullamore, Co Offaly, in August. No trace of her has since been found.
Officially the case has remained a "missing person" investigation although gardai have expressed grave concern for Ms Pender's safety.
Yesterday morning gardai arrested the three women and two men in the Tullamore area. They were held under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, which allows detention for up to 12 hours.
Investigating officers consider they have made significant progress on the case since Ms Pender's disappearance from her flat in the town on August 23rd.
Ms Pender's boyfriend, Mr John Thompson, said she was at the apartment in Church Street, Tullamore, when he left it at 6 a.m. to work on his family's farm.
Ms Pender, a hairdresser and part-time model who was seven months pregnant, had bought clothes for the baby and shown no signs of planning to leave the area.
Gardai later searched land in the area and drained part of a canal.
They also checked with maternity units in Ireland and Britain at the end of October, the time the baby was due.
There have been some alleged sightings of Ms Pender since her disappearance, but none has proved to be accurate.