I am assured by the Garda authorities that the Garda Síochána does all in its power to locate missing persons and that it provides considerable support for families.
The Garda authorities have informed me that the effectiveness of the working methods and procedures employed in missing persons cases are continually reviewed. As a result, substantial changes were made in 1998, such as the introduction of new guidelines and procedures which place a particular emphasis on keeping the families of missing persons informed by a Garda liaison officer who deals with a designated family member.
Garda statistics reveal that approximately 99% of those reported missing in any year are accounted for by the end of that year. It must be realised that most of the people who go missing do not do so in suspicious circumstances.