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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 27 Feb 1997

Vol. 475 No. 6

Ceisteanna—Questions. Priority Questions. - Missing Persons.

John O'Donoghue

Question:

1 Mr. O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Justice the number of women reported missing in each calendar year since 1990 to date; the number of women reported missing and not found in each calendar year since 1990 to date; her views on the number of women who have not been traced; her views on whether a specialised unit should be set up in the Garda Síochána to locate the missing women; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5543/97]

I am informed by the Garda authorities that the information requested regarding the number of women reported missing is as follows:

Year

No. of women:

Reported missing

Traced

Not traced

1990

421

418

3

1991

389

385

4

1992

493

493

0

1993

536

532

4

1994

617

614

3

1995

758

756

2

1996

750

749

1

It is a matter of serious concern to me that a number of women who have been reported missing have not yet been traced. However, it is worthwhile noting that the vast majority of women reported missing are subsequently traced.

I am assured by the Garda authorities that every possible effort is made to locate missing persons. The Garda have a specific responsibility in tracing persons under 18 years of age or who are physically or mentally handicapped or whose disappearance occurred in circumstances which give rise to fears for their physical or moral safety. The Garda put substantial resources into tracing such missing persons. In the cases of missing juveniles, the local juvenile liaison officer liaises directly with the family.

The Deputy will appreciate that the detailed deployment of Garda personnel and resource is a matter for the Garda authorities. In this regard, I am informed by them that they are satisfied that the current procedures and resources in place for dealing with missing persons are adequate.

I thank the Minister for her comprehensive reply. It would appear from her figures that since 1990, 17 women reported missing have not been traced. She will agree this is the cause of the greatest distress to the families concerned. They are anxious that the State does everything possible to trace their missing loved ones.

Given the pressures on gardaí, does the Minister agree it is desirable to establish a small specialised until within the Garda Síochána to concentrate on tracing missing persons? In this context, does she see merit in it having a specialised unit to investigate serious murder cases?

An untraced missing person is a matter of great concern to all in this House. While most missing women are traced, I realise that even with numbers of missing women in single figures in each of these years, with 1991 and 1993 recording the highest number at four each, there are traumatised families who must continue to live not knowing what has happened to a loved one.

The case of every missing person, whether male or female, is followed up by the Garda. The total number of people who have gone missing in each of the years 1995-6 are 1,578 in 1994, 1,444 in 1995 and 1,848 in 1996. All of these have been traced except for 13 in 1995, 12 in 1995 and eight in 1996. The majority of those untraced in each of those years are male. The Garda Síochána advise me that it does not need a specialised unit to trace missing women. The Garda Commissioner is responsible for the deployment of his forces and personnel and constantly reviews Garda structures.

We do not know whether those missing are the victims of crime; they may have decided to leave home. One can surmise that something terrible has happened to some of them, but there is no certainty about the reasons for their absence until evidence is produced that they are still alive or sadly dead.

The Garda recently reviewed the structure of the specialist units attached to Garda headquarters and the central detective unit at Harcourt Square. This review arose from trends emerging in different forms of criminal activity. Following the review, the expertise and resources available to these units have now been combined to form the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation under the control of a chief superintendent. The resources of the unit will be available to investigate any serious crime, and to trace missing women, should a local district officer require it. This is in addition to the existing specialist services available in the form of finger print, ballistic, photography and forensic expertise at the Garda headquarters.

The Garda Commissioner reviewed the different specialist units available to him and has brought a number of them together to create this bureau so that cases of missing persons where there is suspicion of criminal activity can be investigated. The files of the untraced people I have listed will remain open until some trace of them has been found.

There is little doubt, following the late arrival of the State pathologist at the scene of a violent death recently, there are deficiencies in the investigative process which should be remedied. In that context there is no difficulty whatsoever in broadening the scope of a specialised unit to include men. Clearly we will not discriminate one way or the other. Whether men or women, a considerable number of people are missing. In many cases their relatives who believe they met with violent death are deeply concerned they are not in a position to give their loved ones a Christian burial. It is incumbent on the Government to ensure these people are found. The best way of doing that is to set up a specialised unit within the Garda Síochána to ensure every possible effort is made and no stone is left unturned with a view to ascertaining the whereabouts of these people and if a violent death was involved that those responsible would be brought to justice.

I reiterate that missing persons remain on an open file and all investigations continue to be carried out. The figures I have given represent people of whom we all know. Following my discussions with the Garda Commissioner I assure the Deputy no stone is left unturned to follow up any information that may come the way of the Garda. I undertake to pass on to the Garda Commissioner, who is responsible for the deployment of the force, the Deputy's strongly held view on the need for a unit separate from the criminal investigation unit. I do not think there is a case for such a unit at present because the Commissioner has recently reviewed the structures and decided on the way to use the expertise available to him. I am taking his advice on this matter.

I am aware of the sensitive nature of cases of missing persons. As a neighbour of the family of Jo Jo Dollard perhaps the Minister would arrange for a private briefing.

I am surprised at the Deputy. In respect of Priority Questions only Members who tabled questions may ask supplementaries. I thought the Deputy was aware of that. I am proceeding to Question No. 2.

Perhaps I can be of assistance. Deputy Aylward is very concerned about the case of Josephine Dollard.

I would prefer if no names were mentioned.

He arranged for relatives of the missing woman to meet the leader of my party, the Minister for Justice and myself in this House. All we want to know is whether the family can take any comfort or solace from the new information revealed in respect of this case recently or if the Minister will give a brief——

I would prefer if Deputies did not take liberties of this kind at Priority Question Time.

Without wishing to disobey your ruling, I am aware of the concern expressed in the locality about the disappearance of Jo Jo Dollard. I met the family recently and a senior member of the Garda Síochána also visited the family when the new evidence became available. There is constant communication with the family and everything that can be done to lessen the anguish of the family is being done by the Garda Síochána.

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