Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. My Department has been providing consular assistance to the family of the missing person since being notified of the matter on 27 February this year. The Irish Embassy in New Delhi alerted the relevant authorities immediately on becoming aware of the matter and asked that full assistance be given to the person's family in tracing the person. The embassy also confirmed details of the person's Indian visa and checked with the Indian authorities as to whether an extension had been granted.

The person last made contact with relatives on 3 February 2012 from the town of Rishikesh in the state of Uttarakhand in northern India. The terrain of Uttarakhand is generally mountainous, comprising Himalayan ranges and their foothills. Much of the lower mountains and foothills, including the Rishikesh area, are densely forested. The capital of Uttarakhand is the city of Dehradun. The embassy assisted the family with the process to release the person's telephone records from Vodafone.

The town of Rishikesh is situated on the Ganges, which is sacred to Hindus, and has a population of around 75,000 people. It is often described as the gateway to the Himalayas. The town itself is at an altitude of approximately 350 m, so its climate is comparable to the plains of northern India. Winter prevails until mid-February, but temperatures generally remain in the 10° to 20° Celsius range. Steep hills and mountains surround the town and are accessible by paths. Temperatures drop considerably with the increase in altitude. The town is an important access point for a number of Hindu shrines higher up in the Himalayas that are spiritually significant to Hindus and as such, the town caters to large numbers of Indian pilgrims. However, the four most important shrines are situated at an altitude above 3,000 m and remain closed or inaccessible in February due to snow.

Rishikesh is also a centre for outdoor pursuits and attracts many visitors seeking to explore the natural beauty of the Himalayas. The town has many travel companies offering mountaineering, trekking, rafting, kayaking and so on, and it attracts many backpackers. Trekking options during February are limited due to climate conditions.

On 11 March, tourists found some of the person's personal possessions in the Rishikesh area. A consular official from the embassy travelled to the region and met local and state authorities, including the state director general of police in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. In addition, the embassy made a formal approach to the Government of India, asking for a full search of the area in which the belongings were found. A search was subsequently carried out, but unfortunately the person concerned has not been located. The consular official also met the family and friends of the person, who had travelled from Ireland to assist in the search.

The embassy has also advised the family on various sources of local information, such as travellers' fora, which have allowed the family to tap into the travellers' network and get additional practical help. The ambassador of Ireland to India has met the person's father and other family members and the embassy remains fully engaged with this case.

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