Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

I welcome the fact that the Minister has moved to distance himself from the comments made by his Government colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy McGuinness, in another outburst of some importance.

The Minister, Deputy Dermot Ahern, should proceed with the setting up of a stand-alone missing persons unit, which has proved successful in other jurisdictions. On what the Minister said about international best practice and international co-operation, will he suggest to the Garda Commissioner that the assistance and involvement of psychic detectives from Great Britain might be useful in the circumstances of Operation Trace? Will he explore this possibility at the next meeting?

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