JOINT COMMITTEE ON JUSTICE, DEFENCE AND EQUALITY debate -
Wednesday, 28 Mar 2012

Missing Persons: Discussion

Chairman

The purpose of today's meeting is to discuss with interested organisations the issue of missing persons. I welcome assistant commissioner of the Garda, Mr. John O'Mahoney; detective chief superintendent John O'Driscoll; superintendent Fergus Healy, and superintendent John McCann. You are all welcome and I thank you for giving your time and expertise to help us with this important issue. I welcome Mr. Jarlath Folan and Mr. Brendan Beirne of the Search and Rescue Dog Association of Ireland.

We will have three sessions and I will welcome other groups in later sessions. The format of the meeting is that each organisation will make brief opening remarks followed by a brief question and answer session. As there are many witnesses, I ask that opening statements be limited to around five minutes. Before we begin, I express the condolences of the joint committee to the Garda Síochána and to the family and colleagues of Sergeant Fergal Mc Hugh.

I draw the witnesses' attention to the rules of privilege. You are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence you are about to give to the committee. However, if you are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence in relation to a particular matter and you continue to do so, you are entitled thereafter only to qualified privilege in respect of your evidence. You are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and you are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, you should not criticise or make charges against any person, persons or entity, by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. Members should also be aware that under the salient rulings of the Chair, members should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the House or an official, by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. I ask everyone to turn off mobile phones completely as they interfere with the recording system in the committee room. I am sure we can live without them for an hour.

I now invite a representative of the Garda Síochána to make an opening statement.

Mr. John O’Mahoney

I am assistant commissioner John O'Mahoney of the crime and security section at Garda headquarters. I am accompanied by detective chief superintendent John O'Driscoll from the Garda National Immigration Bureau, detective superintendent John McCann from the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation and superintendent Fergus Healy from crime policy and administration in Garda headquarters.

I would like to begin by thanking you, Chairman, and your committee for the opportunity to address you on such an important issue. In the past five years An Garda Síochána has received just over 40,500 reports of missing persons. It is all too easy in the face of a large statistic like that to lose sight of the upset, pain and, ultimately on some occasions, tragedy that lies behind those figures.

There are different categories of missing person, raising a range of policing challenges and, sometimes, requiring a range of policing skills and responses. Some missing person investigations can be quite localised while others require a national or international dimension. We are all, for example, familiar with the high profile cases of missing women which continue to be investigated by An Garda Síochána under Operation Trace. In fact, day in and day out, as one might deduce from the figure I mentioned earlier, gardaí throughout the country deal with reports of missing persons. Thankfully for the sake of the individuals, their families and friends, many of those people are located safely. Others, sadly, while located, are found deceased. The range of investigative challenges for An Garda Síochána is highlighted by the fact that I am joined here today by colleagues from a variety of specialised sections in An Garda Síochána.

A missing person is defined by An Garda Síochána as, "Anyone whose whereabouts are unknown and the circumstances of the disappearance presents a risk of harm to the missing person or any other person". Each missing person report is risk assessed and classified as being high, medium or low risk. The risk assessment procedure identifies the risk factors that could give rise to the harm of the missing person and is captured when recording a missing person incident on the Garda Síochána's PULSE system. Garda Síochána investigations into and searches for missing persons are governed by policies set out in HQ directives, including the manual of investigation techniques. The responsibility for missing person investigations rests with the district officer, or superintendent, from wherein the person went missing, and when appropriate senior investigating officers, SIOs, are appointed to oversee such investigations. Investigations remain open until such time as the whereabouts of the missing person is confirmed.

I mentioned earlier that in the past five years An Garda Síochána has received just over 40,500 reports of missing persons. Of those, 212 persons are still recorded as missing. Of these, 140 are male and 72 female, 114 are under 18 and 98 are adults and 163 come from outside Ireland while 49 are Irish citizens. Missing children from care comprise the majority of reports made to An Garda Síochána.

When investigating missing persons cases the Garda Síochána has a number of supports available. These include port and airport alerts; media appeals; Garda website and the Missing Kids (International) website; and age progressed photographs. An Garda Síochána also provides a family liaison service to families of victims of crimes which includes missing persons. A family liaison officer is appointed on a case by case basis as decided by the relevant district officer. The main purpose of the family liaison officer is: gathering evidence and information in a sensitive manner; providing the family with a communication channel to the officer in charge of the investigation; acting as a guide through the complicated criminal justice system; giving help and advice when it may be necessary to talk to or deal with other organisations; and providing information about supporting agencies, for example Victim Support.

The Garda Missing Persons Bureau, comprising of full-time staff, is responsible for developing and implementing new policy with regard to missing person investigations. The Missing Persons Bureau provides advice and support to the investigating gardaí. It is responsible for maintaining accurate and up-to-date records on missing persons within the jurisdiction, the management and maintenance of the missing persons section of the Garda portal, the missing person section of the Garda website and the International Missing Kids (International) website.

In its investigations An Garda Síochána works very closely with a number of external agencies including Government, local authority and voluntary organisations. These include: the HSE; the website missingpersons.ie; Irish Mountain Rescue Teams (IMRA); Irish Cave Rescue Organisation; river rescue teams; sub-aqua clubs; Irish Red Cross; Order of Malta; St. John Ambulance; and Civil Defence. We also support the website operated by Missing in Ireland Support Services, missingpersons.ie.

An Garda Síochána is currently in the process of finalising its Child Rescue Ireland, CRI, Alert system. This is similar to the internationally recognised Amber Alert system and will notify the public when a child has been abducted and there is a reasonable suspicion of an immediate and serious risk to his or her health or welfare. CRI Alert is an agreement between An Garda Síochána, the media and other information broadcasters to alert the public in such cases and seek its help. Its primary goal is the safe and early recovery of missing children.

As I have shown, there is a range of different issues and challenges arising within the broad category of missing person investigations. I will be pleased to take questions from members of the committee on any aspect of our work.

Chairman

I thank Mr. O'Mahoney for his thought-provoking and challenging presentation and for the work he is doing in this area. I echo his observation of the pain and tragedy arising from the cases to which he referred. I now invite Mr. Brendan Beirne of Search and Rescue Dog Association, SARDA, Ireland, to make an opening statement.

Mr. Brendan Beirne

I am here today as representative of Search and Rescue Dog Association Ireland. I am also a member of the Glen of Imaal mountain rescue team. SARDA Ireland is a voluntary emergency service, established in 1987, and a member of Mountain Rescue Ireland. In addition, we are also a member of the National Search and Rescue Dog Association, NSARDA, in the United Kingdom, an umbrella association comprised of similar teams from across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. We at SARDA Ireland train, assess and deploy air-scenting search and rescue dogs to search for missing persons, not only in difficult mountainous, wooded and rural terrain but also in urban areas. Many of our members are also members of other voluntary mountain rescue teams and-or coastguard units.

Air-scenting dogs locate people by picking up traces of human scent on the air and searching for the scent source where it is most heavily concentrated. The dogs return to their handlers upon locating the scent source and indicate their find through barking before leading the handler to it. The success of any air-scenting dog is affected by factors such as wind conditions, air temperature, time of day, terrain and the presence of decontamination. Bodies, whether alive or dead, emit rafts of cells, gases and vapours constantly. At least one third of cells emitted from humans are lighter than air and therefore remain suspended in the air rather like smoke. An air-scenting dog has 44 times more olfactory sensory cells than a human, making it a super sniffer. In addition, the dog's olfactory lobes account for almost one eighth of its brain, making it doubly scent smart.

Another bonus of air-scenting dogs is that they are ideally suited to searching in an Irish climate, with the double layer of insulation in their coat keeping them warm in winter and cool in summer. Though genetics favour these dogs for searching, they cannot search through nature alone. It takes, on average, between two to three years to train an air-scenting search dog. For membership of the operational search dog team, an animal must be successful in a three-day assessment under the scrutiny of external assessors. The assessment standards are rigorous and maintained through regular and continuous assessment.

When searching, each team, usually comprising one dog and one handler, is generally assigned a segment of the search area to cover systematically. Handlers work their dogs into the wind or cover the area in a way that provides the dogs with the best scenting opportunity. Handlers are skilled in mapping out any area covered and will report their probability of detection to their overall search co-ordinator on completing their assignments. Air-scenting dogs are extremely efficient, covering far larger areas in a shorter time compared with what can be achieved in person-hours. In addition, a search dog team is particularly effective at night when human search teams are, more often than not, forced to stand down. In fact, for an air-scenting dog the probability of detection is greater at night when they will use their noses rather than their eyes. Search dogs can search dense shrubbery and crawl spaces. They can search effectively when visibility is hampered by dark or foggy conditions. Best of all, air-scenting dogs never complain.

I am happy to take questions from members.

Chairman

I thank Mr. Beirne for his interesting presentation. We will now take questions from members, beginning with Deputy Finian McGrath.

Deputy Finian McGrath

I thank the delegates for their presentations. Mr. O'Mahoney indicated that 7,000 to 8,000 people are reported missing each year, which equates to some 20 per day. Is this figure high compared with the data for other European countries? Mr. O'Mahoney referred to the number of missing persons who are located safely and the number located deceased. What are the respective percentages in this regard?

On the broader gang issue - Mr. John O'Driscoll has a great deal of experience in this regard - is it the case that significant numbers of persons who are involved in drug gangs are going missing - whether they have been shot, fled the country or otherwise - but that these events are not coming under the radar? Do the delegates have any figures in this regard? Is there a problem here that is not being discussed?

Mr. John O’Mahoney

I thank the Deputy for his questions. Of the 7,000 to 8,000 annual reports, the vast majority relate to children who go missing from care. These numbers refer to reported incidents rather than persons. In other words, some people may go missing on more than one occasion in a given year. The figure for missing persons, as opposed to missing person reports, is approximately 4,000. The vast majority of people are located safe and well within 24 hours of going missing.

In terms of how we compare with other countries, I am not sure whether one is comparing like with like in attempting any such review. Our recording procedures are in accordance with the protocols we have in place with the Health Service Executive for the reporting of missing persons from care and of young persons who entered the State unaccompanied. We have very strict procedures in this regard which may differ from those in operation in other jurisdictions.

In regard to drug gangs, it is difficult, because of the nature of organised crime, to know exactly what is happening. However, thanks to intelligence reports we are well placed to say whether a person is or is not missing. Several investigations are ongoing at this time, both within and outside the jurisdiction, into cases where people have not been reported missing but in respect of whom there is intelligence to suggest they may be missing as a result of the activities of organised crime groups.

Deputy Seán Kenny

I thank the delegates for their presentations. This is not the proper forum to discuss individual cases but I have several more general questions. I have been approached on several occasions by constituents who have had a family member go missing. Is there a dedicated Garda office or telephone number which public representatives can contact in respect of matters of this nature?

My second question relates to people who go missing abroad. Quite a number of families move to Spain to live. I refer, in this regard, to cases where a younger member of such a family might go missing in Spain and where members of the extended family in Ireland might contact the Garda in the interests of being of assistance. I have received reports of instances where the families involved were of the view that there was not sufficient co-operation on the part of police forces abroad, which view cases of this nature as just relating to tourists who have become lost. What level of co-operation and what sort of protocols are in place between the Garda and, for example, the Spanish, Portuguese and French police in the context of locating Irish citizens who are living abroad, who have become lost and the members of whose families in Ireland are trying to discover whether they can help?

Mr. John O’Mahoney

On the Deputy's first question, and as stated earlier, the local district officer in the district in which a person goes missing is tasked with the responsibility of carrying out investigations and all inquiries relating to missing persons. The said officer would be the ideal individual with whom to make contact. If, for any reason, people are of the view that they cannot contact their local district officers, then the missing persons bureau at Garda headquarters can be contacted. We have received fabulous assistance from outside and we have a missing persons website and also a helpline. I cannot provide the Deputy with the relevant telephone numbers immediately but they are certainly in the documentation I have with me and I can supply them after the meeting, if necessary.

On missing persons abroad, I am probably aware of one of the specific cases to which the Deputy referred. We are involved in a number of investigations relating to circumstances where people have gone missing abroad. We are obviously and extremely concerned about these cases because they involve Irish citizens. We work closely with Interpol and in liaison with other police forces. In that context, we have our own liaison officers in a number of countries, including Spain and Holland. These officers work in the Irish embassies in The Hague and Madrid. They have been very much involved in assisting families which have travelled to those countries in the context of liaising with various police forces in the furtherance of investigations. We have interviewed and taken statements from families in this country on the basis of mutual assistance requests made by foreign police forces investigating missing persons cases.

Deputy Dara Calleary

I welcome our guests from the Garda Síochána and SARDA. A number of years ago, the Garda commenced a review of cold cases relating to missing persons. What did this review involve? Were new technology and techniques employed as part of it?

Does SARDA own all of the dogs it uses? Are the Garda and mountain rescue groups members of the association? What breeds of dogs are used by the association?

Mr. John O’Mahoney

As well as having a cold case unit, we commenced Operation Trace. The latter was established with a view towards co-ordinating investigations, intelligence and inquiries in respect of persons who had gone missing. These were people who generally went missing in the same area and who were of the same gender. We were of the view that there could be connections in respect of their going missing. Operation Trace is designed to gather, co-ordinate and retain information relating to their cases on file at a central source. The operation will remain in place in order to try to locate missing people. We receive additional information to our inquiries on a regular basis and we receive requests from families, the members of which work tirelessly. The families involved often make very public expressions of their anguish and grief. We are constantly reminded of this and we see it every day of the week. When a loved one goes missing, it often happens out of the blue and this makes it very difficult for families. It is important to ensure that we take a co-ordinated approach to investigations of this nature. Where necessary, the cold case review unit will continue to examine these cases with a view to establishing whether there are any new leads or whether new developments in the areas of technology and science might assist us with our investigations.

Mr. Brendan Beirne

SARDA is a voluntary organisation and its members own the dogs they use. We take it upon ourselves to take dogs into our houses as puppies. Basically, the dog grows up with the handler and bonds with him or her. The training then takes place on a national level across the country. The handlers own their dogs.

We use any working breed dog. The most important thing we seek in a dog is a play drive, namely, whether it will play with a ball or a toy for reward. Dog training is all about reward and it is for this that the animals work. The most common breeds would be border collies, spaniels, German shepherds and labradors or a mixture of any of these.

Deputy Anne Ferris

I welcome the representatives from the Garda Síochána and SARDA. This is a topic which is extremely distressing for many people. I was particularly interested to hear about the CRI Alert system, particularly because a missing child is every parent's nightmare. The Garda Síochána's submission provides figures for the past five years in this regard. Mr. O'Mahony stated that the number of reports received is different to that which relates to the actual number of people - men, women and children - who are missing. How many children were reported missing in the past five years? What is the position with regard to reporting in respect of non-nationals? As we are all aware, there are horrific stories about people, particularly women, being trafficked into Ireland in a very unsavoury way. What level of reporting occurs in the context of cases of this nature?

Mr. John O’Mahoney

CRI Alert was launched by Child Rescue Ireland. It is based on the Amber Alert system, of which members will be well aware, which used in the United States. It is a system which has been developed during the past two years and is in the final stages of being rolled out to the Garda Síochána. We work closely with a number of outside agencies on the alert system and the media play a critical part in getting the message across. The aim of the process is to secure the safe and early recovery of the child unharmed. It will only be ratified by a regional assistant commissioner in whatever region the person is reported missing. A number of criteria must be fulfilled before it will take place. These include that the child must be under 18 years of age; that there is a reasonable belief the child has been abducted; that there is a belief the child is in immediate and serious risk; and that there is sufficient information available to enable the public to assist the gardaí in locating the child. It would be used very sparingly because when an incident such as this happens it can create considerable fear among the public. Once those criteria are fulfilled, the CRI Alert will be issued.

The Deputy's second question related to missing children, and children, as defined in our system, are people under 18 years of age. Some 114 children have been on a missing list for the past five years. Of those, 106 went missing from care. We work closely with Interpol and every child who goes missing is notified to it and a yellow notice is issued in respect of them. They are on an Interpol database and if they turn up in any part of the world, we are notified of that. I cannot give the committee a specific figure but the vast majority of those 114 children are either of African or Asian origin.

The Deputy's third question related to trafficking and the trafficking of children. That is a matter of concern for us every day of the week and we work very much with our international partners on that. It is the reason that detective chief superintendent John O'Driscoll is here with me today. I will ask him to address the Deputy's question on how we operate in regard to trafficking or suspected trafficking of children.

Mr. John O’Driscoll

Part of the explanation for the number of children who remain missing is the fact that some of the immigrant population who have arrived in this State feature among that figure. The explanation for those foreign national children going missing, fortunately, invariably has nothing with trafficking. We pay particular attention to the suspicious movement of foreign national children into and within the country. Invariably the explanation is that children are being brought in to be reunified with family members who have already migrated to Ireland. Also, in some cases people will arrive in the country and pose as minors when in fact they are not. The reason for that is that once a person states they are a minor they must be accepted and cannot be refused leave to land. In all of those cases the children will be referred to the Health Service Executive and after a period of time certain tests will be undertaken and it will be established whether the individual is in fact an adult. On occasions before that process is complete the child, or the person who purports to be a child, will have gone missing, but invariably the explanation given, when there is a suspicious movement of a foreign national child involved, is that it is a case of family reunification.

Deputy Anne Ferris

Some 106 children went missing from care. Mr. O'Driscoll said the explanation of reunification is given for many children who have gone missing. I presume those children are still on the books as missing.

Mr. John O’Mahoney

As I stated, until such time as we can confirm the location or the finding of a person who has been reported missing, they remain on the books. In terms of those 106 people, in the vast majority of cases we have not confirmed one way or the other whether they are still missing, or whether they are with family or with friends. What we have found is that on many occasions such people end up either here or in the UK reunited with family or with extended family or friends.

Deputy Anne Ferris

Are thorough investigations carried out in the places where they were in care? Mr. O'Driscoll is presuming that may have gone to England or have been reunified with their families but I would have a concern regarding those children who have not been. I presume there would be ongoing investigations in those cases and there cannot simply be a presumption in that respect.

Mr. John O’Driscoll

No. There is definitely no presumption. In our policy documents in regard to every person who is missing, there is an onus on the local superintendent to review those cases on a regular basis. In regard to the at risk cases, the superintendent has to immediately review the investigation of what needs to be done. That happens for the first month, then the case is reviewed every week and as the case extends to 12 months, it is reviewed on a quarterly basis and beyond that it is still reviewed every quarter. That is the onus there is to investigate. Cases are reviewed on that basis and until such time as we are fully satisfied that the person has been located and is safe, they remain on our database as missing.

Deputy Anne Ferris

In such a case the child may have reached the age of 18 and over. Would that individual be taken off the books or would the investigation continue for the person as a missing person rather than as a missing child?

Mr. John O’Mahoney

The investigation remains that of a missing person. The figures I will give the Deputy are the overall figures for missing persons and I include within those the number of people who are under 18 years of age. The investigation is that of a missing person and it remains that. There are cases where we are 95% sure that the person is alive and well but until we can get confirmation from a foreign police force and can confirm that the person is safe and well, they remain on our database.

Deputy Seán Crowe

I welcome the witnesses. At a recent meeting of the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement a group appeared before it regarding the disappeared. We heard there was nothing but a positive response to the work they were doing and to their contact with the families concerned. I would be interested to hear about such contact. Deputy Finian McGrath spoke about people who have disappeared through possible drug involvement.

Chairman

I wish to alert the Deputy before he proceeds any further, as he may not have been here at the start of the meeting, that we are anxious not to go into specific cases.

Deputy Seán Crowe

No, I will not.

Chairman

Thank you, Deputy.

Deputy Seán Crowe

Speaking from experience of my background, people would have disappeared in my constituency. People have contacted me regarding the issue of people who have disappeared. If a man goes missing and his wife goes to her local Garda station and reports him missing, what steps happen after that? Will the witnesses take us through that process? I presume the person gives a report to the local gardaí. Mr. O'Mahoney said a district officer deals with the case. I presume he or she is not the officer on the desk and that the case is passed on to the district officer. What rank does a district officer have and how often would he or she be in contact with the family of the disappeared person? Is it automatic for the airport and ferries to be checked for CCTV footage? What steps are taken once a case is reported and how often does contact take place with a family during the year?

I am aware that in some cases the wife or partner of a person who has disappeared is in denial about what has happened. They are in a bad situation mentally. They are also in particular difficulty if the partner who is missing was the main breadwinner as there is no money coming into the house. Is there co-ordination with community welfare officers? What support services are in place for families? I ask the question in the context of what extra supports can be given to families in such situations.

In other jurisdictions the speed of response is considered vital when children go missing. What is the response time when a child disappears in this jurisdiction? In the United States, for instance, one talks about the first 24 hours and that the time taken can mean the difference between a child being found. How important is the time factor?

Reference was made to approximately 40,500 reports over five years. That stands up in terms of the success the Garda has but our focus is on the 212 people that are still missing over the five year period. Of those who were found, how many tried to deliberately disappear? Could one attribute the cause to mental health problems or other difficulties? I am trying to get a picture of what is involved. Part of the difficulty families have is that if a loved one disappears they wonder what they did or said wrong. That adds to the difficulty of those concerned. The focus of my questions is what happens and what supports are available.

Mr. John O’Mahoney

I can divide up my reply into three different areas in terms of what happens when someone comes to a Garda station to report a missing person. That is the first area. The second area relates to the supports that are in place when children go missing. The third area relates to those who deliberately disappear. That is what I understood from Deputy Crowe's questions.

Deputy Seán Crowe

I am not sure that is what I took from the figures, although some cases break down in that way.

Mr. John O’Mahoney

When a missing person is reported, the first thing the Garda is required to do is to risk assess the situation. The risk assessment will be considered high, medium or low. A number of issues are taken into consideration. Seven or eight different issues are set out to be assessed by the garda who receives the report before deciding on the category of risk involved. All cases are investigated. Cases require instant attention if they are considered high risk. Once they are declared high risk the superintendent is tasked with making the appropriate response to the report, as soon as practicable.

The questions that form the basis for the risk assessment include: Whether the person is suicidal; suffering from health problems, including mental health problems; gone off with someone who would put them in danger; if the person is a danger to himself or herself or to others; or when a person's behaviour contradicts their normal behaviour, for example someone who does things like clockwork and is home from work every evening at 6 p.m. or who makes a telephone call to parents or friends at a certain time every evening and someone reports the situation to the Garda because they are concerned that this has not happened. All those issues are taken into account.

When a case is considered high risk the superintendent is required to immediately assess it and decide what needs to be put into place. Subsequent to that the situation is reviewed once a week. While the case remains open and the person concerned has not been found the case continues to be reviewed. I hope that answers the Deputy's question on the investigation process.

On the supports available, a family liaison officer is appointed to work with the family, at the discretion of a superintendent, if he or she deems it necessary. The family liaison officer is trained in the area of family liaison. In response to the question asked about the supports and advice available, one of the responsibilities of family liaison officers, among others, is to advise families on what supports are available to them. As the Deputy indicated, it can be traumatic for the family when any family member goes missing. People may not think in a normal way. Family liaison officers are trained to give advice on the various support agencies that are available.

All missing children are deemed high risk. The family liaison system was put in place as a result of mistakes that were made in the past. We have learned from those mistakes. Family liaison officers are a critical part of the organisation now in terms of investigations on missing persons, not necessarily criminal investigations. Many people go missing for one reason or another. Some people wish to start their life afresh and there is nothing one can do once a person is over 18 years of age, but once a person is reported missing we make every effort we can to identify his or her whereabouts. That includes requests through Europol or Interpol to other police forces. We reciprocate in that regard. However, if a person goes missing and does not wish his or her location to be disclosed we have an obligation to comply with that request. We can go back to family and tell them we are satisfied that the person is safe and well but that is as much as we are allowed to do.

Deputy Seán Crowe

I am concerned about what happens in cases where a district officer is moved to another location. Who will take over the case then? How often does contact take place with the family? There is a gap if no contact happens. I have nothing but praise for those involved in groups to help find the disappeared but I refer to others who have disappeared and I hope the same supports are in place.

Mr. John O’Mahoney

I accept that. Perhaps I did not make myself clear in explaining that the district officer is responsible for the investigation and he or she appoints a family liaison officer. The latter is invariably of garda rank but may be of sergeant rank depending on the requirement. Those people are trained fully in the area of family liaison and they are the contact between the district officer who is in overall charge of the investigation and the family. The district officer is of superintendent rank. If somebody is transferred, retires or leaves that position for whatever reason a new person is appointed.

Deputy Jonathan O’Brien

Regarding the criteria and the classifications, I presume they change with information gathered. If somebody is reported missing and it is considered to be a low risk case, can that change to a medium or high risk case if something arises during the investigation to warrant that?

In terms of the resources put into each area, could the assistant commissioner give us an indication of the type of resources that would be put into a high risk case and those allocated to a low risk case? What is the difference in the investigations that would take place?

Mr. John O’Mahoney

First and foremost, there are seven or eight different criteria and if any one of the criteria is high risk and the other seven criteria are low risk, the case overall is high risk. Once one of the risks is high it is a high risk investigation. It is very difficult to give the exact number of resources that would be put into a case. It is an issue for each of the district officers or superintendents and it is important that sufficient resources are put in, bearing in mind the facts of each individual case.

Deputy Jonathan O’Brien

If there is a shortage of a certain expertise or resource within that district, can it be drafted in from neighbouring districts if necessary?

Mr. John O’Mahoney

Absolutely, yes. In recent years as well as the Garda Síochána having the district and the divisional resources available there are regional resources available also. If it comes to a point where the national resources such as those used by Mr. John O'Driscoll or indeed Mr. John McCann in their work, they will be deployed to the particular area.

Deputy Jonathan O’Brien

I will not get into individual cases but in terms of the way the investigations are approached, do they all come in centrally to the assistant commissioner or how does it work? How often are they reviewed? Are they reviewed on a local, regional or national level?

Mr. John O’Mahoney

It is the responsibility of the superintendent to review cases and depending on the risk element in that case, the timeframe for having to review those cases is set out clearly. They review them on the PULSE system, which is available to us at Garda Headquarters, and the Missing Persons Bureau does an audit every year to ensure those cases are being reviewed as they should be reviewed.

Chairman

A total of 4,000 cases are reported every year, although the assistant commissioner made it clear earlier that some of those are reported on a number of occasions, and that on average approximately 20 adults and 23 children go missing each year. Of those who turn up, how many would he consider to have been runaways or people about whom someone was just concerned? I do not want to use the word "trivial" but I refer to non-urgent cases. How many of the people who are found are found in tragic circumstances, namely, they are deceased? How many of those would have been attributable to mental health issues, for instance? Is any age profile pattern emerging? Deputy Crowe asked a similar question earlier.

Mr. John O’Mahoney

The vast majority of people encapsulated in the overall figures could be described as being in the 16 to 17 years of age category. Many of them are probably testing the waters, especially people in care who are subject to a curfew. They test the boundaries but as I said earlier, in the vast majority of cases these people turn up safe and well. However, we regularly have people who are found in tragic circumstances. Those cases are well documented. What we are looking at from the initial report until such time as that person turns up is that people will not be found in tragic circumstances. We would be very conscious of that and ensuring that does not happen.

Another aspect is that the more often young people of 16 or 17 years of age go missing the more at risk they are because of the very nature of being missing. They are very likely to be dealing with people who often take advantage.

Chairman

How many of those people who turn up per annum are found in tragic circumstances? Can the assistant commissioner give us any indication of that?

Mr. John O’Mahoney

I am sorry but I cannot give the Chairman a figure. I can revert to him on that but I cannot give him a specific figure on it. From experience I would say that it would be a small percentage.

Chairman

Mr. Beirne mentioned that his was a voluntary organisation. I note that it is a charity. What does it cost per annum to train and maintain a dog?

Mr. Brendan Beirne

The biggest cost in terms of the dog would be the food but also transport. We are all based across the Twenty-six Counties and we have national training every six weeks which we try to attend, and fuel costs arise in that regard. There is also a cost for a call-out because there are only six qualified dogs in the country and we could be called to go from one side of the country to the other, should it be requested.

Chairman

There are six dogs overall.

Mr. Brendan Beirne

Six qualified dogs in the country, yes.

Chairman

How busy are the dog handlers?

Mr. Brendan Beirne

We had 22 calls last year. We would only act upon calls from the Garda, mountain rescue or the Irish Coast Guard. We will only be called from a recognised organisation.

Chairman

Of the 22 calls, in how many instances did Mr. Beirne's dogs have a fundamental role in finding somebody?

Mr. Brendan Beirne

We had a successful outcome last year. Unfortunately, it was a deceased person in Galway but we did have one success with Mr. Folan's dog which had a successful find last year. It is rare enough to make a find.

Mr. Jarlath Folan

As well as finding a person we would also eliminate many areas where the person had not been and therefore we can move on to the next area. That would be a lot of our work also.

Chairman

Does the assistant commissioner find the Search and Rescue Dog Association of Ireland, SARDA, organisation of particular support to his work in this area?

Mr. John O’Mahoney

Yes. I want to acknowledge the assistance of the numerous voluntary organisations, including SARDA, that give us assistance. When we are dealing with cases of missing persons the more hands we have on deck, the better. It is a very professional outfit, as are all the voluntary organisations with which we work.

Chairman

We will suspend the meeting briefly to allow the other witnesses to come in.

Sitting suspended at 3.38 p.m. and resumed at 3.39 p.m.

Chairman

Before we begin the discussion I want to draw the witnesses' attention to the matter of privilege. Please note that witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they give to the committee. However, if they are directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and continue to do so, they are entitled thereafter only to qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they do not criticise or make charges against a person or persons or an entity, by name or in such as way as to make him, her or it identifiable. Members should be aware that under the salient rules of the Chair they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person or persons outside the Houses or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

Witnesses will have observed that the committee is anxious that they not refer to individual cases in these hearings, for obvious reasons. I thank the witnesses for attending and for being giving of their expertise and time, and for helping us on this occasion, perhaps the first on which an Oireachtas committee has considered the issue of missing persons. I invite Mr. Browne from Missing Persons Helpline to make a brief presentation or opening statement.

Mr. Dermot Browne

I am grateful for having been allowed to address the committee on the subject of missing persons. The subject has for too long remained under the radar. It is gratifying to see at last some interest from the Oireachtas.

I represent Missing in Ireland Support Service, operator of the national missing persons helpline. I have the honour of serving as chairman. I am accompanied by our helpline co-ordinator, Mr. Ciaran Casey. With five minutes available to me and much to say, I hope members will understand if I proceed quickly through this presentation in order to cover as much as I can. I hope my voice holds up.

What is a missing person? The UK Association of Chief Police Officers defines a missing person as:

Anyone whose whereabouts is unknown whatever the circumstances of disappearance. They will be considered missing until located and their well-being or otherwise established.

The accepted understanding of a missing person is that the term relates to an individual whose whereabouts are not known. From experience, we contend, however, that other categories should also fall within the general description. Examples include the loss of identity, that is, unidentified remains and unidentifiable persons suffering loss of memory. We must not forget the sad plight of families who have a loved one missing abroad or cases where an individual's lifestyle may place him outside regular contact with family or acquaintances and whose disappearance may go unnoticed. A recent example of this is the Wexford case in which a man lay dead for many weeks. We ask whether one is missing only if somebody misses one.

Most of us can only imagine what it is like to have a missing loved one. If one has ever sat up at night waiting for a family member to come home, lost a child in a shopping centre, lost the family pet, lost a valuable personal item or misplaced a large amount of money, one will have had a short, sharp experience of the panic this traumatic event can bring about.

Statistics in the Garda's annual reports show that an average of 7,000 people are reported missing annually. While the vast majority are located quickly, a small number are untraced at the end of each year. While a further breakdown of the statistics to show the personal profile of the individuals concerned or the eventual outcome would be extremely useful, it is not available. However, international studies have shown that reasons for a person going missing can include personal or family problems, psychiatric and mental issues, financial difficulties, relationship breakdown, a desire to start a new life, being the victim of a criminal act, and suicide.

The disappearance of a family member, loved one or friend is not an event we can be prepared for. Simple things, such as a usable recent photograph or item that can be used to extract DNA, are often difficult to obtain. Irrespective of the circumstances, we can be certain that those who are left behind will suffer considerable mental and emotional trauma. They will experience disbelief initially, followed quickly by uncontrollable panic, a feeling of helplessness, guilt and, frequently, despair.

The Garda is obviously the first port of call for a family. However, we must query families' expectations when they contact the force and whether they are reasonable. If these expectations are not met, for whatever reason, the level of trauma is increased. The functions of the Garda are usually more focused on the investigative aspect of dealing with missing persons. The Garda is not equipped or resourced to deal with the emotional trauma that accompanies such an event, thereby leaving a huge gap to fill.

The vast majority of missing persons return safe and sound within 72 hours but an unacceptable number do not. It is at this time that families need help most. Important family requirements at the point of initial Garda contact are reassurance of Garda follow-up, information on what will and will not be done and the timescale. Contact details for both sides should be agreed and noted and ongoing liaison is essential. The family should be advised on what it should or should not do to prevent confusion. Contact details for the missing persons helpline should be passed on to the family in each case so it can receive information and assistance on how best to deal with the emotional aspect of their circumstances.

While a family will co-operate with investigating gardaí, it will usually go it alone while waiting for the system to kick in. Methods used include postering. We are all familiar by now with the ever-increasing proliferation of posters attached to street poles. Broadcasting details on the Internet can quickly and effectively raise awareness. Word-of-mouth communication among friends and associates of the missing person is another method. The media must be used with great care. While media can comprise a valuable tool, it is a tool over which there is little control. Sensational reporting is all too common and can show a distinct lack of consideration for those who are trying desperately to cope with their circumstances.

Missing in Ireland Support Service, MISS, is a non-denominational, non-political registered charity providing a support service to those who are left behind in missing persons cases. The operation of MISS is overseen by an executive committee elected at the annual general meeting. The primary aim of MISS is to support families and individuals who have a relative, colleague or friend who is officially classified as missing. Our support service can take many forms and is generally aimed at responding to the individual needs and circumstances of the family or person contacting us. The organisation is also engaged in educational and publicity programmes aimed at creating awareness of the consequences of persons going missing.

MISS is not a search organisation and feels searching is best left to those who are trained and qualified to do so. We do, however, publish posters and details of missing persons on our website. We also endeavour to take our mobile display to one shopping centre per month.

As I stated, I have much to say and little time to do so. For this reason, I have submitted more detailed documents to the clerk of the committee. I trust these will prove useful.

I submit the following suggestions for the members' consideration. The disappearance of a loved one has been described as a fate worse than death in the family. With no return, body or closure, the ordeal goes on and on. It is vital that proper recognition be given to the issue of Ireland's missing persons. The few statistics available show that the incidence of reporting remains high. Leaving aside the cost of resources required to deal with the problem, there are consequential costs associated with the worry and distress suffered by those left behind. This can often lead to severe health and welfare problems.

Serious consideration must be given to the establishment of a viable multidisciplinary and co-ordinated response to all missing persons reports. The recent report and recommendations of the Garda inspector suggest that the force should work more closely with volunteer organisations. It is essential, therefore, that it involve appropriate support groups at an early stage in order to lessen family trauma.

While it is exceptional that a physical search is required or relevant, such searches tend to be high profile and the result of tragic circumstances. A system must be put in place whereby all official bodies and organisations that are qualified and capable of assisting in the search effort are part of a combined response register and called in at the earliest possible opportunity. Appropriate protocols and insurances will be required.

The first 48 hours following a disappearance are the most crucial. It is, therefore, important that a means of broadcasting an alert be identified. This is particularly relevant in high-risk cases. Methods could include the use of television, social media and pictorial phone messaging.

A register of unidentified human remains should be compiled and unambiguous protocols put in place to ensure such remains are subjected to full and rigorous investigation and DNA sampling, where possible. A dependable information-sharing system is also required to ensure the widest possible broadcasting of such discoveries, both throughout Ireland and further afield, so the possibility of identification is taken to the highest level.

The Garda missing persons protocols should be subjected to audit to ensure they are fit for purpose and operating at an effective level. Additional resources should be made available if considered necessary. A more detailed breakdown of Garda missing persons statistics should be introduced to facilitate proper research and assist with the formulation of preventive measures to address the problem.

A national forum consisting of gardaí, relevant State bodies and recognised NGOs that work in the area of missing persons should be established to ensure a viable, agreed and co-ordinated response system is put in place.

Chairman

I thank Mr. Browne for his presentation and for keeping within the time limit. We have read his detailed submission, which contains some very good suggestions. The joint committee intends to compile a report and to carry out more work on this topic in the months ahead, while taking on board as many of the Missing Persons Helpline's suggestions as it can. We may revert to Mr. Browne for further debate on this issue.

I invite Mr. Joseph Blake of Trace Missing Persons Ireland to make his presentation.

Mr. Joseph Blake

I am accompanied this evening by Ms Catherine Murphy, secretary of Trace. Trace Missing Persons Ireland was founded by me in January 2011 as a non-profit organisation. The main aim of the organisation at that time was to search for missing persons by using trained search dogs, otherwise known as cadaver dogs, and to focus its attention in areas associated with Ireland's missing persons by searching woods, quarries and water.

As we became more involved, we quickly became aware of the link between missing persons, drugs and crime and consequently devised a workshop specially focused at young people. We have delivered this workshop in schools and colleges throughout Ireland with great success. We continue to grow from strength to strength and have become a recognised tool by the Garda and other community-based organisations.

The organisation has an ethos, a belief system and a set of principles. These create an organisational culture that affects everything the organisation does. This comprises upholding the dignity of the families of the missing, ensuring that all information is dealt with in the strictest of confidence and operating in a manner that is open and transparent.

Chairman

I thank Mr. Blake for his presentation, which was brief and to the point. I now invite Mr. Seamus Bradley of Mountain Rescue Ireland to make his presentation.

Mr. Seamus Bradley

I will begin by thanking the joint committee for its invitation to Mountain Rescue Ireland to attend its meeting today. Mountain Rescue Ireland, MRI, is the association of Ireland's 12 volunteer mountain rescue teams, which provide lifesaving search and rescue services in our mountains and remote areas every day of the year. While our primary focus is specifically in the mountains, our experience, skills and resources also can contribute to the search for missing persons in other environments and locations. In the period 2008 to 2010, our teams carried out the equivalent of a non-mountain search for a missing person once every nine days. We are tasked primarily by An Garda Síochána but our teams also respond in support of the Irish Coast Guard, the HSE and the fire services when requested.

Our 12 volunteer teams have been significantly involved in the development and provision of search and rescue services in this country for almost 50 years. In the past few years we have seen significant progress in achieving a co-ordinated national strategy for dealing with missing persons incidents. We are very grateful to An Garda Síochána for involving us in its work to revise procedures and protocols for missing persons response and we now have a nominated Garda officer acting as a point of contact for our teams in each Garda division.

Over the years we have been involved in many search operations in Ireland of varied intensity, duration and complexity. It is our experience that the response to each missing persons case has three distinct, yet interdependent components. These are the investigative response, the support response and the active response. It is our belief that while there has been significant progress in developing capacity and capability within each component individually, work still is required to ensure active and structured links between the components. We wish to make clear to the joint committee that we are simply a contributor to the active response component and provide a specialist resource for mountainous and challenging terrain. There a number of organisations that also provide specialist resources for other terrains and locations and we believe we would all benefit from a clear national framework for land search and rescue operations.

State agencies already have produced major emergency plans and the Irish national maritime search and rescue framework. We believe there now is a clear need for a national land-based search and rescue framework, which would outline agreed strategies and procedures for responding to missing persons incidents, regardless of location. It would ensure the recognition and validation of appropriately skilled resources and would allow a high level of interoperability between land-based search and rescue resources. It also would recognise the vital importance of an effective investigative response and of the fundamental requirement for an early intervention support response to the families and friends of those reported missing.

We believe that Ireland has much to gain from looking at a range of international models for the response to missing persons. We believe that substantial work has been completed in reviewing practice for the investigative response and the support response. However, there are models for the active response component that merit further review, consideration and experimentation. We are willing to work alongside other statutory and voluntary partners to contribute to this work. It has been our experience that the response to missing persons incidents is developing positively. Unfortunately there is now a real danger that without a coherent national framework through which interaction can be nurtured and embedded across all the involved organisations, the progress of recent years may be lost as we revert to local approaches reliant on one-to-one relationships.

We would like to draw the joint committee's attention to the two documents we have submitted, namely, The Manifesto for the Missing and Missing Persons Response in Ireland. In particular, we hope that members will consider the five recommendations we make and would welcome any questions they may have on the issues raised in these documents. We trust the joint committee recognises the huge amount of work being carried out by both statutory and voluntary organisations across Ireland to develop the response to missing persons incidents and hope members will be able to support and encourage further strategic development and the enhancement of services in order that others may live. My colleagues and I would welcome any questions members may have of our organisation.

Chairman

I thank Mr. Bradley for the work Mountain Rescue Ireland is doing and for the recommendations it has made to the joint committee, which members certainly will take on board. I make the same point to Mr. Blake, as I note Trace Missing Persons Ireland also has submitted some recommendations. I thank both organisations for these interesting and challenging recommendations. There obviously is a need for some co-ordination and perhaps some changes in this regard.

I now invite Mr. Thomas Lavery of the Searching for the Missing group to make his presentation.

Mr. Thomas Lavery

I thank the Chairman and members of the joint committee for the invitation to attend this meeting. My name is Thomas Lavery and I am the chairperson of a group of volunteers available to assist families of missing persons. Searching for the Missing was set up in 2010 by a group of professionals with vast experience of missing persons. We are linked to the Boyne Fishermen's Rescue and Recovery Service as a charitable organisation. We are a sub-committee that deals directly with families, the Garda and search organisations.

All too often, families are left in emotional turmoil and without knowing what happened to their missing loved ones. We take a practical approach in providing assistance to families and all leads in each and every case are followed up. I was fortunate to spend 32 years in the Garda Síochána and loved every day of it. I was in the Garda diving unit for 30 of those years and I dealt with families of missing people later in my life. Earlier, when I was young, I was engaged in diving, recovering bodies and so on but, as I grew older, I realised there was another aspect to search and recovery. I was very fortunate to be given this post in the Garda as it made me a better man in life. It gave me a better insight into life than would have walking the beat on the street down town or whatever. I was made for what I was sent out to do and I thank the Garda Síochána for this.

Help is provided with publicity, searches and appeals. We have a 24-hour helpline number, 085-209-2119. Calls are dealt with in the strictest of confidence and we work with many community-based voluntary organisations throughout Ireland and Europe. All links to other voluntary organisations are attached to our website, which is constantly updated. I have spent 38 years dealing with families of missing people because on my retirement in 2005, I continued my involvement with missing people. I now am 58 years old and have given nearly two thirds of my life to this task. I believe I have a lot of experience to offer the joint committee. I was told on a CID course in 1981 that it is wrong to go to the grave and bring experience with one and hence my involvement with setting up this proactive organisation. In 1977, I was involved in the search for a young girl who remains missing 35 years later. Although her 35th anniversary fell on 18 March, she still is missing. During a diploma course I completed on the subject of missing persons, I was told by the tutor, the late Mr. Liam McCarthy, that I was best suited to be a foot soldier because of my "hands on" experience. I also contributed to the Garda Inspectorate report on missing persons, which was headed by Ms Kathleen O'Toole. As previously noted, one of that report's recommendations concerned the involvement of voluntary organisations and it was nice to hear the assistant commissioner confirm today that they are involved. My perception, based on my involvement with members of the Garda Síochána, is there has been a vast improvement in the involvement of the Garda, liaising with people and so on.

Search and recovery is part of a missing persons event. However, it is important to understand it is not about the missing person but about those who are left behind. Many people have been missing for many years and families sometimes have been left without anyone ever contacting them. A number of issues are of concern. I already have referred to search and recovery and the involvement of voluntary organisations. Kathleen O'Toole stated it is somewhat haphazard at present. While everyone is doing something, it is not co-ordinated. Ambiguous or unresolved loss refers to the big word, "not known".

Boundary ambiguity concerns families as well as search and recovery. In other words, boundary ambiguity is where the liaison garda will deal directly with the next of kin, such as a mother, father or son, but all the other relations within the family are dealt with separately. I had this situation recently with a family and I spent three and a half hours in a room with 11 people. They all wanted to know the information now but they were not entitled to know certain things, so it is a question of trying to get that balance for a family. There are approximately 25 dynamic systems in place for a family of six where, for example, five people are left and one is gone. There are relationships involved, as well as anger, guilt and conflict. This is why there is a serious need for somebody to be able to liaise with them and give a hand out, and the same goes for search and recovery.

The recent search at Union Hall had a fantastic outcome but, despite the secrecy involved, it is important that certain recovery people are informed of what is going on. If voluntary organisations join the search they should not be pushed aside. There can be a debriefing so they are told what is happening. There is a need for a liaison person, although not a liaison garda. A liaison garda deals with the family but may sometimes go on holidays, so the earlier questions are important. It is ironic that I was sitting up at the back and when questions were being asked of the assistant Garda Commissioner I could have made a stab at answering a good few of them myself. I do not wish to cast aspersions on anybody but it arises because of my experience. For every question that was asked, I had half an answer in my head going back to what happened to me in my life.

There is a serious issue concerning the identification and burial of unidentified bodies. Mr. Barry Cummins has written books about this, which include chapters on unidentified people buried in Ireland. There are numerous such cases that can be spoken about again. Some bodies are being held in cold storage. Excuse me for using that term but that is the way the bodies are kept. I only found out recently that a body in England has been kept since 1990. They recently identified an Irishman who had been missing since 2000. When a body has been kept for so long, and the DNA has been taken, serious considerations should be made with regard to burial. I asked before that we should be notified, in addition to notifying certain recovery people in the area. I have contacts in every town in Ireland. There is nowhere I could not ring and have some form of contact. I have a volunteer in nearly every county. I could ask for some groups to come out while a body is being buried in a dignified manner with a priest. While a body is being interred, we could have prayers, some music, candles and a release of birds. We can also take photographs and if that person's family is ever found, they can be shown that the body was buried in a dignified way, instead of being taken away to some remote place for burial. That is just one issue.

I was asked recently why my son is not on the Garda website, and a question was asked earlier about certain people not being on the website. In Limerick alone, 30 men have gone missing in 31 years. I personally believe that people are missing as a result of crime.

I wish to extend an invitation to members of the joint committee to visit the Boyne fishermen's search and rescue premises at Marsh Road, Drogheda. It is a state-of-the-art premises of which there are not too many in Europe. It was opened by the Minister for Justice in 2008. It is a beautiful premises with offices, meeting rooms and a place for the priest to go with families. Members of the committee visiting there will see what resources are available and what is needed. The Civil Defence should be utilised a lot more than it currently is. It is a State body which is trained and comprises professional people, but they are not being utilised enough.

For anybody who does not understand this issue, there is a repeat of the programme "Missing Mothers" on TV3 tonight at 9 p.m. It is a very good programme which deals with missing persons and what their families go through.

I will be available to answer any questions in the future. I know that time is limited today but I thank the joint committee for allowing me to speak.

Chairman

I wish to thank Mr. Lavery and all the other individuals and organisations represented here for the voluntary work they are doing in this important area. I think Deputy O'Brien has some questions.

Deputy Jonathan O’Brien

I was interested in Mr. Blake's comments on the development of workshops and working with young people. Can he give us some feedback on what those workshops entail, how extensive they are and what age group is being dealt with? I think he said that schools and colleges are involved, so perhaps he can tell us what work goes on in those workshops.

Mr. Joseph Blake

We normally go into schools and work with transition year students and those in 5th and 6th years. We take the youths out into a wooded area and show them how the dogs work when somebody goes missing and is presumed dead. We show them how to pick up on, and preserve, items such as clothing, money and keys. Where possible, the gardaí assist us and give a talk on drugs.

Deputy Jonathan O’Brien

I was interested in what Mr. Blake said about Trace Missing Persons Ireland having been established in January 2011. He said the group quickly became aware of the link between drugs, crime and missing persons. As part of those workshops, is there an educational aspect on the dangers of getting involved in drugs?

Mr. Joseph Blake

We are building an awareness with young people that if they get involved with drugs and crime, this is where they could possibly wind up. That is basically what it is about.

Deputy Jonathan O’Brien

How many students per year does Mr. Blake work with?

Mr. Joseph Blake

Up to March, April and May this year, we have ten schools to do around the midlands area and Galway.

Chairman

Are there any other questions?

Senator Martin Conway

I just have a quick question. There are proposals for a pan-European missing children's hotline. I commend the various contributions that have been made to the committee. Do the witnesses feel that this is a critical piece of communication that is necessary in terms of gathering information and as a facility for families and the general public?

Mr. Dermot Browne

I will try to answer that question. It is important to have a clear way in which people can contact assistance in an emergency. Designated helpline numbers, such as the 116000 number, are increasing in other European countries. It has been floated here but there have not been many takers because it would require resources beyond many of the organisations that are operating in the area today.

Senator Martin Conway

I raised this matter in the Seanad several months ago. At the time the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs said it was a priority for the Government to establish links with some of the NGOs, or do a deal with some telecommunications providers. Does Mr. Browne feel this policy is essential and should be rolled out with the Government's support very quickly? What is the experience of some of Mr. Browne's sister organisations in Europe where the telephone helpline is already in existence?

Mr. Dermot Browne

The closest comparison we can make is with the UK's missing people helpline. They have recently taken on the 116000 number for the UK where they have the resources. A mix of resources and funding is required for something like that. If it is going to be done, it is best to do it properly and effectively, so resources must be put into it. While volunteers will go a certain length of the way, other resources beyond that also need to be put in place.

Senator Martin Conway

I wish to commend the mountain rescue and coast guard services. In the part of the country from which I come, north County Clare, the rescue teams in that area deal regularly with persons who go missing in tragic circumstances and they act above and beyond the call of duty in dealing with families and interacting with loved ones.

Chairman

The assistant commissioner wanted to come in, and then Mr. Lavery.

Mr. John O’Mahoney

If I can assist Senator Conway on the 11600 number, the number has been awarded to the Irish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children. The Garda is part of the committee that was established by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and we are in the process of putting an MOU together with the ISPCC. It is a priority and it will be up and running very shortly.

Senator Martin Conway

When the assistant commissioner says "very shortly", is he talking about a matter of months?

Mr. John O’Mahoney

Superintendent Healy is on the committee.

Mr. Fergus Healy

We would hope to have it up and running in the next two months. It is at a stage where we are in discussions with the ISPCC with respect to the reporting issues and an MOU must be agreed between the two agencies before it can be put in place.

At a European level, there are certain funding issues. An application has gone before the European Commission with a view to setting up the financial arrangements around it as well. Until the Department has that resolved, that is where it rests at present.

Mr. Thomas Lavery

That was one of the points, that I was aware of the number being handed over.

A second matter I forgot to mention was the use of mobile telephones for the alert system. It is great to hear of this cry alert because in my view, the amber alert is too big a system for Ireland. For the amount of children who go missing in Ireland, if we were in contact with the three telephone companies, as I mentioned previously at Garda headquarters, this is the way forward.

It is not only for children. It is an alert for adults. I am aware of cases during my time here where persons were found before they moved on to the next stage of being missing, that is, being found deceased. It is so simple, if the alert goes out quickly on telephones - Facebook is very good at present - if an agreement was made with the three mobile telephone companies. Every one of us has a mobile telephone and if we agree to take a picture it sends out the message that, for example, Ms Maddy McCann or Ms Aimee Fitzpatrick was in the garage. Mobile telephones are the way to go in Ireland and amber alert is too complex a system.

Chairman

When will the CRI alert be up and running?

Mr. John O’Mahoney

I am loath to give a date. International Missing Children's Day is on 25 May and we are hoping for it on that date. Then again, it is dependent on-----

Chairman

Okay.

Mr. John O’Mahoney

That is our aim.

Chairman

Or close to that. We will take a short suspension merely to allow the next group to come forward. I apologise to Deputy Ferris, who has a question.

Deputy Anne Ferris

I merely want to thank the voluntary organisations who are here today. Somebody looking around at the organisations might ask do they overlap or are they providing the same services but, apart from the mountain rescue - in my constituency of Wicklow there are many rescued from the mountains - it is a case not of the more organisations the better but that they be from regions. Knowledge of the local scene is important where persons go missing, whether it is of the wooded areas or whatever. All those working in these organisations are very dedicated to give of their time voluntarily to do this work. It is amazing. As I stated at the outset, particularly if a child goes missing, it is every parent's nightmare. I thank them for coming in today.

Chairman

Apologies again.

Deputy Anne Ferris

That is all right.

Chairman

Deputy Ferris is the Vice Chairman and I had better be nice to her.

There will be a short recess to allow the next group come forward. The groups may stay where they are.

Sitting suspended at 4.14 p.m. and resumed at 4.15 p.m.

Chairman

I welcome Mr. Aidan O'Flynn, Miss Josie McGrath-Ryan, Miss Jacqui Walsh and Miss Colette Healy who are transition year students from Davis College, Mallow. They are joined by teachers, Ms Siobhán Murray and Ms Kathy Kilgallon. They are involved in the Forget Me Not campaign. I thank them for the attendance here today and for the information they supplied to the committee to date. I met these students in Mallow because they themselves and the school have been working hard on this area. They have many interesting initiatives. It is also interesting that reference was made today by a number of groups, especially on more than one occasion by the assistant commissioner, about young people. It is great to see younger people and students here today to make a presentation and to give us their views as to how we can proceed with this issue.

I must draw their attention to the matter of privilege before we start. I ask them to note that they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the evidence they are to give to the committee. However, if directed by the committee to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and they continue to do so, they are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and are asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise nor make charges against any persons or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable.

Members have already received the caution that they should be aware, under the salient rulings of the Chair, that members should not comment on, criticise or make charges against either a person outside the Houses or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable. I invite Mr. O'Flynn to make the presentation.

Miss Colette Healy

I am Colette Healy. We are a representation of the YSI transition year students from Davis College in Mallow, County Cork. We are honoured to present the findings of our Forget Me Not campaign to the committee. I want to introduce our teachers, Ms Siobhán Murray and Ms Kathy Kilgallon, who would welcome any questions the committee may have following our presentation.

Miss Josie McGrath-Ryan

Forget Me Not is a national campaign which has four clear objectives: first, to raise awareness for the issue of missing people in Ireland; second, to create funds for continued searches; third, to create change in Ireland so that the suffering and plight of these individuals is recognised and so the missing persons are not forgotten; and fourth, to spread the message of change to other schools.

Mr. Aidan O’Flynn

Does the committee remember this person? He is the life of the party, so fun-loving and a really caring person. He worked really hard to get his new job in Dublin. On 8 December, he went to his work Christmas party to mix with his new colleagues. He picked up an umbrella from his office on the way home because the weather was really bad that night. He was 22 years of age, the year was 2000 and he never made it home. Forget me not.

To meet our first objective, to raise awareness for the issue of missing persons in Ireland, we developed an exit point strategy. Now one cannot enter or leave Ireland without seeing the faces of the missing and the links to the organisations should one have information or need help. Forget Me Not's exit point strategy is in airports in Cork, Shannon, Knock and Farranfore, in ports in Dublin and Rosslare, and on board ferries of Stena line and Irish Ferries, and is being considered as an in-flight sleeve on a national airline for the next 12 months.

Miss Josie McGrath-Ryan

Does the committee remember this person? Let me give the members a clue. He is 13 years old. He was a primary school student. He used go home from school everyday for his lunch. On this day, 23 October 1986, however, he never made it back to school and all that was found was his school bag. Forget me not.

Through co-operation with family members of missing persons and the organisations that search for the missing, we gained a greater insight into the cases of missing persons. Our deeper understanding helped us to move forward with a depth of emotion and empathy and to look at real ways to help these persons.

Creating funds for the organisations who support these families is crucial. By retailing the Forget Me Not calendar through Tesco stores nationwide and by engaging in in-store promotions all over the country, we were able to raise money. A significant amount of the funds we raised were used to fund the search for a missing 19 year old teenager in Galway in January last. His remains were recovered after two weeks. This would not have been possible if it had not been for our funds as these searches were done in a voluntary capacity and relied purely on donations. We created further awareness of the plight of these families with two appearances on "Ireland AM" and by hosting our own radio show and consistently appearing in print media over the past two years.

Miss Jacqui Walsh

Do you remember this person? She is a 6 year old identical twin from Donegal. She likes nothing more than playing with her sister and her older brother. She was a shy and careful child. She is also Ireland's youngest missing person. She vanished from her grandmother's garden in 1977 . Today she would be 41 years old. Forget me not.

Through the relationships we have forged with the parents and family members of missing people, we have given them the platform they needed to talk about their suffering and their loved ones. To quote one mother, "I can't believe children way down south care so much about my little girl". We have issued every secondary school in Ireland with our petition for change. We have also held petition signings throughout Cork, in Tesco stores nationwide and in London. In signing this petition people are expressing their agreement that a national missing persons day be declared in Ireland. We have been lobbying for this to happen since last year and today we present these signed petitions to the committee. Central to this appeal for change is our bus shelter advertisement to An Taoiseach, which will be located moments from Dáil Eireann on Kildare Street for the first two weeks of April. This will highlight to both the Taoiseach and to committee members the strong desire of Irish citizens that a national missing persons day be declared.

In addition, in the coming weeks we hope to meet President Michael D. Higgins to share our campaign with him. We intend to ask him to plant an oak tree in the gardens of Áras an Uachtaráin as a symbol of enduring strength, renewal and recognition for the families of missing people. During our discussions with family members we found that they had two simple requests. They want a national missing persons day in Ireland so that they feel their loved ones are remembered on one special day each year and they also want a place of remembrance. This tree would fulfil this need.

Miss Colette Healy

Do you remember this person? She went shopping with her mother for clothes for her unborn baby. She was so excited to think that in just two months she would be a mother. She has been missing since August 23, 1996. Forget me not. We have developed a step-by-step plan that others can follow and implement through their schools in their countries. By developing links with schools across Ireland, Belgium, Germany, Croatia, Lithuania and Denmark and visiting a school in London to pitch our campaign to them and if others across Europe join with the vision of Forget Me Not answers could be found and future loss could be prevented. Please visit the Davis College Moodle page on daviscollege.ie to be part of our plan to spread the Forget Me Not message.

Miss Josie McGrath-Ryan

In summary, we have carried out the extensive research necessary to determine that the family and friends of missing people need a national missing persons day to be declared in Ireland and they need a place where they feel their loved one is remembered. As committee members can see from the 12,000 signatures we have collected, the citizens of Ireland fully support these requests. Now we pass this responsibility to members.

Chairman

I thank everyone for that powerful presentation and for the work they have done over the past number of years. They have captured the mood around this issue in the presentation. Their work has led to this hearing and we have all learned from each other by listening and asking questions.

Senator Martin Conway

I concur with the Chairman that this was an extremely powerful presentation, which is indicative of the work many transition year classes do. However, this project, in particular, is symbolic of what we, as public representatives and as a committee, need to do. I support the call for a national missing persons day because it would be appropriate. Were the committee to support the proposal, it would give families whose loved ones are missing an opportunity to realise that the people of Ireland care and there is a day every year where that care is demonstrated in an appropriate way to remember the missing. It is an initiative we should support. We should propose to the Government that it seriously consider the suggestion.

Senator Ivana Bacik

I congratulate the students on the great work they have done highlighting this issue. I read the comprehensive supporting documentation provided by them, which is impressive. I am very impressed by the number of contacts they have made on this issue in a relatively short time.

I support the proposal for a national missing persons day. The letter from Kate McCann, Madelaine McCann's mother, was supportive of the work the students are doing. She pointed out that there is an international missing persons day on 25 May and we should also support that.

Ms Kathy Kilgallon

That is not the date that we suggest to be declared as national missing persons day. We would like a day separate to the children's day to recognise all the adults who are also missing. We propose 18 March, although we are open to suggestions. International missing children's day was proposed by Ronald Reagan following the disappearance of a six year old in New York in 1979 and we have selected 18 March because it was the date on which Ireland's youngest missing person went missing in 1977. She was also six at the time and she would be aged 41 today. We thought it tied in well with the former President's wishes at the time.

Deputy Seán Crowe

I welcome the students. One of the committee members said they were a little nervous but they did not come across like that. What triggered their interest in this issue? Was it a particular tragedy in their locality? The campaign is entitled Forget Me Not. While I doubt the families whose loved ones are missing will ever forget them, society forgets them. The awareness campaign at the country's exit points such as ports should trigger interest. The proposal for an oak tree memorial should be followed up and I am sure when the President hears about it, he will do so. People need somewhere to grieve and the difficulty in these cases is people do not have that place.

The calendar is striking and there are probably names not included because, in some cases, the families are in denial. They sometimes do not release a photograph or may not want their loved one's name made public. They are still trying to deal with the awful gap in their lives this person has left. The campaign is about reminding us not to forget. Well done.

Deputy Dara Calleary

I congratulate the students on taking such a great interest in this issue, particularly given that many of these people went missing before some of them were even born. When they complete transition year, will next year's class keep the project going?

Ms Siobhan Murray

The campaign was started by last year's transition year students and they developed a smartphone application. They designed the calendar that has been circulated to members and a bumper sticker was rolled out on 500 haulage trucks around Ireland. They were runner-up in the young social innovators national finals in Dublin. This year's students were so taken with this that they decided to carry on the campaign and they called it Forget Me Not. They came up with their own set of initiatives, which they have outlined, such as the exit point strategy. The students are finishing their campaign and they are trying to have a national missing person's day declared and to secure an invitation to Áras an Uachtaráin to plant an oak tree. They will then continue on to fifth year. They have taken the campaign as far as they possibly can and it is up to next year's group to decide whether they want to continue with the Forget Me Not campaign or whether they would like to start a new young social innovator project.

Deputy Anne Ferris

I thank the witnesses for coming all the way from Mallow. What they have outlined is fascinating. When they gave the stories about the people, I realised how well I remembered them. Having a national missing persons day is a great idea and 18 March would be a good choice given that 17 March is St. Patrick's Day, our national holiday. As there are so many people who are not celebrating St. Patrick's Day, it would be great to have it on 18 March. I am sure President Higgins would be very open to the idea of planting the oak tree. A location worth considering would be the Garden of Remembrance, which Queen Elizabeth II visited and where she took part in a very moving ceremony. We have heard from many groups, but it is great to hear this from people such as the witnesses from Davis College, Mallow, who are getting involved from such a young age. On behalf of the people, organisations and school, it keeps the campaign for missing people alive and broadens the idea. I thank them for attending.

Chairman

Is it agreed that the committee recommend the proposal? Agreed. The witnesses will notice that we have complete cross-party support among Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Labour Party and Sinn Féin - I am sure the same applies to the Independents. They have achieved great consensus. We do not always disagree, as they can see.

Deputy Jonathan O’Brien

It is probably the first time since the general election.

Chairman

I commend the witnesses from Davis College, Mallow, on the work they have been doing and invite them to continue to be interested in social and political issues. It is important that young people with such talent and ability in all the social innovation groups continue with this engagement.

I also thank the other witnesses who attended today. Does the assistant commissioner have any final remarks to make?

Mr. John O’Mahoney

It makes me proud to be Irish to see the presentation by the young people from Mallow. Their work and awareness has inspired me. As a public service organisation we need to ensure through our investigations that we do everything we possibly can to ensure that missing people are located or their whereabouts are at least known.

Chairman

I thank the assistant commissioner. I believe our intention is to submit a report to the Government on the hearing we have had today. We will discuss it among ourselves and it will be prepared in the coming weeks and months incorporating the recommendations we have taken from the submissions of various groups. Also mentioned was the idea of a national forum, which is an interesting idea. We will see if we can progress the issue.

I again thank all those who attended for their very insightful contributions on what is a very important and for many a very upsetting issue. I pay tribute to everybody for the efforts they put into reuniting families with their loved ones and the support provided during what must be an unimaginably difficult time. I also wish to acknowledge those who are present in the Gallery as observers including Mr. Richard Skelly, Mr. Brendan Cumiskey and others whose names I do not have. I recognise the role of the media and take on board the suggestions for responsible reporting of these issues. They have a very important role to play but must be responsible and not sensationalist.

The joint committee adjourned at 4.34 p.m. until 9.30 a.m. on Thursday, 29 March 2012.