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Missing Persons

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 April 2014

Tuesday, 8 April 2014

Questions (70)

Brendan Smith

Question:

70. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if further contact will be made with the French authorities in relation to a missing Irish person in France (details supplied); if this request will be given urgent consideration in view of the concerns of the family; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16610/14]

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Written answers

The person referred to by the Deputy first came to the attention of my Department on 08 May 2009 when his mother contacted our Embassy in Madrid seeking assistance in locating him. Officials from my Department have remained in contact with his family since then and provided all possible consular assistance through our Embassies in Madrid and Paris and through the Consular Assistance Section of my Department in Dublin.

The family have met with officers of this Department on a number of occasions and officers of my Department remain available to meet the individual's family. In addition to discussing the case at these meetings my Department’s role in missing person’s cases and its limitations was explained to the family.

The family has expressed a wish to meet with the police officers in charge of the investigation and our Embassy in Paris is in contact with the police authorities to facilitate this. Arrangements are currently being made to find a mutually suitable date for an early meeting. Our Embassy will remain in contact with the police and keep the individual’s family informed.

My Department will continue to provide all possible consular assistance to the family. I would like to take this opportunity to express my personal sympathy to the family and to assure them of my full appreciation of the distress the disappearance of their loved one has caused.

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