Peadar Tóibín
Question:1518. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the number of ongoing missing persons cases in the State. [39904/22]
View answerTuesday, 26 July 2022
Questions (1518, 1519)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:1519. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice the number of persons reported missing in the State in each of the past ten years and to date in 2022. [39905/22]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1518 and 1519 together.
I have contacted An Garda Síochána for the information requested by the Deputy, regretfully this information was not available in time. I will write to the Deputy once the information is to hand.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51
I refer to Parliamentary Questions No. 1518 and 1519 of 26 July 2022 where you sought:
‘the number of ongoing missing persons cases in the State’ and ‘the number of persons reported missing in the State in each of the past ten years and to date in 2022’
As you will recall, I had sought the information you requested from the Garda authorities and undertook to contact you again once the information was to hand.
At the outset, I would like to acknowledge the pain and trauma experienced by all families of missing persons. I am deeply conscious of how difficult life is for loved ones who simply don't know what has happened to their relative. My Department is committed to working with all relevant state bodies to help more families find their missing relatives.
As you will appreciate, in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including operational matters such as investigations into missing persons.
I am informed by the Garda Authorities that as of 25 July 2022, there are 840 persons reported as missing and recorded as such on PULSE, which is a ‘live’ database and therefore is operational and subject to change.
A missing person investigation commences when the incident is reported to An Garda Síochána and is constantly reviewed at Superintendent level, in the relevant Garda district at specific junctures within the investigation to ensure that all actions appropriate to the investigation are being pursued and that the appropriate resources have been assigned to the investigation.
It should be noted that all missing person investigations remain open until the missing person is located.
The table appended below, provided to me by the Garda authorities, outlines the number of unique persons per year that were reported missing in the specified years.
Appendix
|
Year Reported |
Missing Person Incidents Reported |
Unique Persons Reported Missing |
Outstanding Missing Persons Incidents |
|
2012 |
8,772 |
3,690 |
13 |
|
2013 |
7,771 |
3,343 |
<10* |
|
2014 |
9,172 |
3,570 |
<10* |
|
2015 |
9,898 |
3,670 |
24 |
|
2016 |
9,763 |
3,553 |
15 |
|
2017 |
9,412 |
3,719 |
18 |
|
2018 |
9,694 |
3,909 |
21 |
|
2019 |
9,509 |
4,096 |
24 |
|
2020 |
8,505 |
3,343 |
24 |
|
2021 |
9,605 |
3,513 |
15 |
|
2022 ** |
5,725 ** |
2,523 ** |
68 ** |
* Figures of less than 10 are not provided for data protection reasons.
** Figures up to and including 27 July 2022.
Question No. 1519 answered with Question No. 1518.