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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 25 Jun 1998

Vol. 493 No. 2

Written Answers. - Missing Persons.

Brian O'Shea

Question:

168 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will establish a Garda unit to investigate missing persons; and if he will give details of EU consultations he has had on this matter. [15485/98]

I refer the Deputy to my comprehensive reply to Questions Nos. 10, 64, 77, 80 and 93 on 14 May 1998 on the subject of missing persons.

The question of establishing a missing persons unit and the question of taking any additional operational measures to investigate such cases, is kept under review by the Garda Commissioner. I welcome the recent changes in the procedures for dealing with missing persons cases which the Commissioner has introduced and the renewed emphasis placed on the role of Garda liaison officers in these cases. I have been informed by the Garda authorities that new guidelines have also been introduced by the Garda to assist and involve the reportee or family of the missing person.

As regards the issue of international co-operation in such investigations, a number of information systems exist within the various European Union countries for reporting and identifying missing persons. Input into these information systems at national level assists in securing international co-operation in locating missing persons. A joint action concerning trafficking in human beings and sexual exploitation of children was adopted by the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 24 February 1997. In the framework of the implementation of that joint action, the Council on 19 March 1998 approved a number of measures aimed at increasing police co-operation in locating missing persons.
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