Vol. 571 No. 2
304 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he is giving consideration to the establishment of a missing persons bureau, in view of the significant number of people who have gone missing and have been untraced to date; if so, the resources that will be allocated to such a bureau; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21483/03]
The missing persons bureau in Garda Headquarters is responsible for data relating to missing persons. When a person is reported missing, the local Garda district officer takes direct responsibility for the investigation and will appoint an investigation team to include any specialised unit deemed necessary such as, for example, the national bureau of criminal investigation or the technical bureau. The services of other agencies such as Interpol and Europol are also available to assist in the investigation. In addition, every district has a specially trained search team which is familiar with the locality.
I am further informed by the Garda authorities that every effort is made to locate all missing persons and that the current procedures for dealing with missing persons are considered adequate at present. Their view is that while specialist units prove extremely useful in investigating certain types of crime, the nature of missing persons cases requires specific local knowledge both about the area and the circumstances of the person who is missing. All files on missing persons remain open and under continuous review until the person is located, or, in the case of a missing person who is presumed drowned, a verdict to that effect by the coroner.
The Deputy may be aware that the missing persons helpline has been operating since October 2002. This is a dedicated helpline operated by Victim Support as a counselling and referral service and as a primary point of contact for the families of missing persons. The helpline provides advice and psychological support for families of missing persons as well as structured liaison with the Garda Síochána. A total of €65,000 was made available to it by my Department in 2002 and a further €45,000 in 2003. I have also been informed that the Garda authorities will enter into discussions with John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, with a view to exploring the possibility of agreeing exchanges of personnel with missing persons expertise.
