Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 September 2012
323. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will confirm that unidentified remains were discovered two years ago off Hook Head where two femur bones were discovered and off Helvick Head where a skull was discovered and if tests were carried out on those remains. [40537/12]
View answer324. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he intends to carry out any further tests to identify whether or not the remains found off Helvick Head and Hook Head have any connection to the crew members of two fishing vessels which sank in the Helvick area namely the Pere Charles. [40538/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 323 and 324 together.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that during the last three years, there have been a number of human bone and skull finds off the coast of counties Wexford and Waterford. Inquiries to establish the identity of the human remains referred to by the Deputy have not yielded any positive results to date. Consideration is now being afforded by the Garda authorities to having nuclear and mitochondrial DNA analysis conducted on the remains concerned, having regard to whether such testing might yield positive results.
