Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 12 Mar 1998

Vol. 488 No. 6

Written Answers. - Missing Persons.

Tom Enright

Question:

20 Mr. Enright asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will approve financial assistance for the missing persons helpline at Aughrim Parish Community Centre, Prussia Street, Dublin 7; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6639/98]

Michael D'Arcy

Question:

26 Mr. D'Arcy asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will approve financial assistance for the missing persons helpline at Aughrim Parish Community Centre, Prussia Street, Dublin 7; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6636/98]

Monica Barnes

Question:

29 Mrs. Barnes asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will approve financial assistance for the missing persons helpline at Aughrim Parish Community Centre, Prussia Street, Dublin 7; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6644/98]

Phil Hogan

Question:

53 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will approve financial assistance for the missing persons helpline at Aughrim Parish Community Centre, Prussia Street, Dublin 7; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6637/98]

Billy Timmins

Question:

84 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will approve financial assistance for the missing persons helpline at Aughrim Parish Community Centre, Prussia Street, Dublin 7; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6641/98]

John Browne

Question:

111 Mr. Browne (Carlow-Kilkenny) asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will approve financial assistance for the missing persons helpline at Aughrim Parish Community Centre, Prussia Street, Dublin 7; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6638/98]

Seán Barrett

Question:

118 Mr. Barrett asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will approve financial assistance for the missing persons helpline at Aughrim Parish Community Centre, Prussia Street, Dublin 7; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6642/98]

Charles Flanagan

Question:

130 Mr. Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will approve financial assistance for the missing persons helpline at Aughrim Parish Community Centre, Prussia Street, Dublin 7; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6640/98]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 20, 26, 29, 53, 84, 111, 118 and 130 together.

Last December, I met a delegation comprising representatives of the Missing Persons Helpline, with two Members of the Oireachtas, in relation to their request for financial assistance from the State. It was explained to me that the helpline provides advice and support to families who have lost touch with a family member and tries to help and encourage these people to establish contact with their families.

While this is a worthy social service, as its primary aim is to put family members in contact with each other it does not come within my Department's functional remit and I was not in a position, therefore, to consider any request for funding. However, I did undertake to write to my colleague, the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs, to ascertain whether his Department was in a position to consider the request for funding and I subsequently did so.

The Minister replied stating that an application for funding under the 1997 scheme of grants to voluntary organisations had been received from this group in respect of the cost of the purchase of equipment and the running of a publicity campaign on missing persons. However, he indicated that policy for a project of this nature does not come within the remit of any of the grant schemes operated by the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs and that this decision was conveyed to the helpline.