Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I wish to share time with Deputy Gregory.

Séamus Pattison (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Is that agreed? Agreed.

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

My motion concerns the need for the Minister for Foreign Affairs to state what measures have been taken to determine the circumstances regarding the disappearance of an Irish citizen. As the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Conor Lenihan, is aware, it is extremely alarming that an Irish woman should disappear without trace in Medjugorje. Ms Winnie Brady travelled to Medjugorje at the beginning of September with a group of Irish people on a religious pilgrimage. As it was not her first time there, she had a reasonable knowledge of the area. Although her disappearance was reported to the police on 6 September, she may have been missing from either 4 or 5 September, as she had not been seen on those days. Hence, there was a potentially serious delay of a full 48 hours in reporting her disappearance that could have been the critical period for the beginning of a police inquiry. It also transpires that none of the Irish people who accompanied her was questioned by the local police. Moreover, the fact that Winnie Brady, who was a heavy smoker, left her accommodation without her cigarettes suggests she did not intend to go far. Furthermore, it transpires that approximately eight people have gone missing in Medjugorje over the years, some of whom were Irish, and have disappeared without trace.

Tom Daly, a policeman with the European monitoring mission, has been helpful to the family. The mission is in regular contact with officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs who have kept family members informed of developments. Despite this however, the family is extremely frustrated. Nearly two months have now passed and family members fear the worst for their loved one. They even fear there may be a serial killer operating in the area. They are most unhappy with the response from the local authorities and police. Most of all, they want to know what happened to Winnie. They want closure, even if it means bad news.

They wish to see intervention on the part of the Minister for Foreign Affairs. They ask whether it is possible for the Irish troops stationed in Kosovo to perform a thorough search of the area. I believe approximately 150 troops are stationed there in addition to a Garda unit. They also ask whether the Garda in Ireland can question the Irish pilgrims who accompanied Winnie Brady on her pilgrimage as the local police in Medjugorje never bothered to speak to any of them to pick up any possible evidence, information or clues. The family members want to pursue all avenues until they find out what happened to her. After two months, the Minister for Foreign Affairs is probably their last hope and should help them.

Tony Gregory (Dublin Central, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank Deputy Costello for sharing time. The sisters of Winnie Brady also spoke to me and are absolutely distraught eight weeks after the disappearance and loss of their sister. This is an appalling nightmare for them. I ask either of the Ministers of State present in the Chamber, Deputies Conor Lenihan and Michael Ahern, to meet the sisters and other relatives of Winnie Brady to listen to their concerns at first hand. The Ministers of State would be moved by how the relatives feel.

They strongly believe the search in Medjugorje has been inadequate thus far and that more must be done. They are fearful of a local cover-up designed to prevent a negative impact on tourism in that area. As the Minister of State is aware, many thousands of Irish tourists travel to the region. I join the call that the Army and Garda personnel already stationed in Bosnia might work with the local authorities to carry out a thorough search. The relatives of Winnie strongly believe the search thus far has simply been inadequate and has not extended to the requisite areas.

As Deputy Costello noted, there have also been rumours of other disappearances and of the presence of a serial killer in the area. In his contacts with the local authorities in Medjugorje and Bosnia, has the Minister for Foreign Affairs established whether this is the case? If so, it chimes with the views of some of the relatives that there may have been a local cover-up because of the consequential negative impact on tourism.

Above all, the sisters and relatives do not want this matter to be swept under the carpet. They will not allow it to go away and intend to campaign until Winnie is found and the truth is established. As local representatives, Deputy Costello and I insist that everything possible should be done to help the relatives in their search. They require greater action, greater openness from the authorities here, to assure them the search is not over and that——

Séamus Pattison (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Deputy should conclude.

Tony Gregory (Dublin Central, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

——whatever action must be taken will continue to be taken until this matter is resolved by establishing the truth of what happened and by bringing Winnie home.

Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Like both Deputies, I can only imagine the terrible nightmare being experienced by the family. I assure both Deputies that everything possible will be done by my Department and any other relevant Department to seek an answer to the questions posed by the family. At the outset, I wish to express my solidarity with the plight in which the family of the person mentioned by Deputy Costello find themselves. As all Members will appreciate, this is a difficult and trying time for the family concerned, made all the more difficult by the fact that their loved one has gone missing far away from home.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and the embassy in Slovenia, which is also accredited to Bosnia-Herzegovina, has provided active consular assistance and support to the family of the person in question. In this regard, the embassy in Slovenia has been in ongoing contact with the relevant authorities in Bosnia-Herzegovina, including the local police force, rescue services, politicians and senior officials in the region in which the town of Medjugorje is situated.

A diplomatic officer of the embassy travelled to the region to liaise with local police, relevant agencies and with officials involved in the search. During the visit, the officer also had many meetings with members of the missing person's family. Subsequently, the Irish ambassador travelled to Medjugorje and to the regional capital, Mostar, to review the search arrangements.

Since the person's disappearance, there have been six largescale searches, some of which involved the use of a helicopter provided by the officer commanding the European Union police mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina. In addition to these largescale searches, there have been more localised searches. Searching continues and an officer from the Irish Embassy will again shortly visit Medjugorje to review the situation. Members of the Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces on EU service in Bosnia-Herzegovina have also participated actively and helpfully in the searches for the missing person.

I assure the Deputies that since the person's disappearance, the consular division of the Department of Foreign Affairs has provided all possible consular assistance and support to her family. In this regard, the husband of the missing person has expressed warm appreciation for all the assistance he has received from the Department and from the Irish Embassy in Slovenia. I can also confirm that senior officials of the consular division recently met with other family members of the person.

I assure the Deputies that the Department will continue to provide all possible consular assistance and support, including, as indicated above, a third visit at an early date by an officer of the embassy to Medjugorje to review the search operation. I will personally convey the specific request made in the context of this debate to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Dermot Ahern, with a view to setting up a meeting with all relevant individuals.