Written Answers. - Missing Persons.
John McGuinness
Question:
418
Mr. McGuinness
asked the
Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform
if he will put in place a task force to establish the best international practice regarding the search for missing people and the support mechanisms in place in other countries to support the families who have had a member go missing; the number of unsolved cases of this kind which now exist on Garda files; if he will establish, by legislation, a special unit skilled and trained in this area to re-open all of these cases and be ready to investigate any new cases; and the reason this has not happened to date in view of the failure of every other effort.
[25246/01]
Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue): With regard to best practice regarding the search for missing persons, the Garda authorities assure me that the effectiveness of the working methods and procedures employed in missing persons cases are continually reviewed. On an international level, the Garda Síochána liaises with Interpol and relevant non-governmental organisations, where appropriate.
At present, where the gardaí consider that a person is genuinely missing, a full Garda investigation takes place under the supervision and direction of the local district officer. An investigation team is immediately convened, which draws together any specialist resources which the district officer considers are necessary to locate the missing person. In addition, every district has a specially trained search team which is familiar with the locality. At division level, investigations are co-ordinated by the relevant Chief Superintendent. I assure the Deputy that all files on missing persons remain open until there is a conclusion to the case and each case is kept under continuous review. Many searches have taken place and further searches will be carried out if new evidence or information comes to hand. The deployment of Garda resources and the investigative methods used in missing persons cases are matters for the Garda Commissioner. I am informed that the Commissioner considers that such investigations are more effective when they have the kind of local focus that is achieved under existing arrangements.
Internationally, the support mechanisms in place to support the families of missing persons are usually through a number of charitable and voluntary organisations. One example is the national missing persons helpline UK, which provides information and support to family members and missing persons. The funding of a dedicated helpline, counselling service and other support facilities for the families of missing persons is not a function that would normally fall within my functional remit. However, in deference to concerns expressed on this matter, I have instructed my Department to examine the issue and it is currently in discussions with a state-funded organisation in relation to the provision of a helpline. Moreover, I understand that health boards may be in a position to offer appropriate counselling and support services to those members of a declared missing person's family who are identified as being in need of such services. I further understand that the provision of these services is, in the first instance, a matter for each health board, having regard to needs in individual cases.
I am further informed by the Garda authorities that the number of persons who were untraced at the end of each year, from 1990 to 1999 (the last year for which published figures are available) is as set out in the following table, together with provisional statistics for the year 2000.
|
Year
|
Number untraced atyear end
|
|
1990
|
10
|
|
1991
|
11
|
|
1992
|
7
|
|
1993
|
9
|
|
1994
|
12
|
|
1995
|
17
|
|
1996
|
9
|
|
1997
|
3
|
|
1998
|
10
|
|
1999
|
16
|
|
2000 (Provisional)
|
22
|
|
Total
|
126
|
