Theresa Ahearn
Ceist:10 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of persons recorded as missing persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11435/98]
Written Answers. - Missing Persons.
Seán Barrett
Ceist:64 Mr. Barrett asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of persons recorded as missing persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11437/98]
Ulick Burke
Ceist:77 Mr. U. Burke asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of persons recorded as missing persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11439/98]
Louis J. Belton
Ceist:80 Mr. Belton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of persons recorded as missing persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11438/98]
Monica Barnes
Ceist:93 Mrs. Barnes asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of persons recorded as missing persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11436/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 10, 64, 77, 80 and 93 together.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that the most recently published statistics regarding missing persons are contained in the Annual Report of the Garda Síochána for 1996. The statistics for 1996 show that, of 1,848 persons reported missing, eight remained untraced at the end of that year. The report for 1997 will be published later this year and I understand from the Garda authorities that the provisional figures for 1997 indicate that of 1,765 persons reported missing in that year six remain untraced. While more than 99 per cent of persons who are reported missing do return home, I realise that for the small number of families of long-term missing persons there is considerable and ongoing heartbreak.
As regards the general issue of missing persons, the Deputies will be aware that I have a special interest in the investigation of these types of cases and also in the manner in which the gardaí handle the cases and liaise with the families concerned. I would like, therefore, to take this opportunity to set out, for the Deputies information, some recent developments in the area.
In my reply of 2 December last to a priority question tabled by Deputy Higgins, I referred to the fact that officials of my Department and the Garda Síochána would be travelling to the UK to assess the potential value of a new investigative approach in operation in that jurisdiction. The initiatives in question involved the analysis of serious crimes using sophisticated computer software, the creation of a national network of designated regional liaison officers to serve as contact points and the establishment of a central help desk for officers investigating particular types of crimes. A senior official of my Department, together with an officer from Garda headquarters, subsequently travelled to the UK to assess and evaluate the effectiveness of the initiative and its possible application for investigating cases of missing persons in this jurisdiction.
I am advised that the operation of the UK initiative is in fact similar to the approach taken by the Garda Síochána in this jurisdiction in that local officers take the lead role in a case and have all relevant expertise available to them as required. The need for the elaborate structures which they have in the UK is principally to improve co-ordination and to facilitate information sharing among the more than 50 police forces investigating crime there. We should also not lose sight of the fact that they have considerably more serious crime particularly serious sexual crime involving abduction.
As regards the specific aspect of the use of state of the art information technology applications, I am satisfied that the module on missing persons which is contained in the first release of PULSE, which will begin its implementation later this year, is equal to the best available to any police force anywhere. It should be realised that computerised crime linkage analysis systems are generally developed and deployed in countries such as Canada, the USA, Belgium and the UK which do not have a national police force.
I am sure the Deputies followed the media coverage of the National Crime Forum. I was concerned with some of the experiences which were recounted to the forum specifically the incidents where individuals felt that there was poor follow through, albeit in a minority of cases, by the gardaí when it came to dealing with those affected by crime and keeping them informed of the status of an investigation. Because of this concern, I welcome the recent changes in the procedures for dealing with missing persons cases which the Commissioner has introduced and on the renewed emphasis he has placed on the role of Garda liaison officers in these cases. New guidelines have also been introduced by the gardaí to assist and involve the reportee or family of the missing person. It goes without saying that the question of taking any additional operational measures to investigate such cases is being kept under review by the Garda Commissioner.
Finally, an official of my Department met recently and will liaise with the missing persons helpline to discuss the operation of the helpline and to see if there is any assistance my Department can provide.