The Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said he is 'shocked' after an Irish woman and her son were found dead in London.

Sinead Higgins and her son Oisin O'Driscoll were originally from Co Mayo.

London's Metropolitan Police were called to a house in The Fairway, Ruislip on Wednesday following welfare concerns.

Inside, officers found the bodies of a 37-year-old woman and a seven-year-old boy. Police say next of kin have been informed.

Post-mortem examinations are scheduled to take place Friday.

Detectives believe there is a likelihood that "the tragic events that led to the deaths" do not involve a third party.

Speaking in Brussels on Thursday, Mr Kenny said: "I'm shocked actually, I know that family very well.

"It's a particular tragedy for a very large family, a very well-respected family, and people I know so well.

"When I got that message here in Brussels, I have to say it went through me".

Ellie Flynn is a digital news reporter with The Sun in London.

"She spoke to a couple of neighbours in the area, they said that she tended to keep herself to herself quite a lot though", she told Newstalk Breakfast.

"When she first moved to the street - which was about two years ago - her neighbours described her bubbly, said that she'd chat a lot, she was really friendly.

"And then I think a series of events led to her to start to feel down, (her neighbour) said that she spoke to her about a month ago for around an hour when Sinead said that she felt desperate, like everything was going wrong".

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