Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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32. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his department will contact the Spanish authorities regarding the case of the disappearance of a person (details supplied). [34841/16]

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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If Deputy Barry wants to reply, I suggest he allows the Minister to reply and I will allow him to ask a short supplementary question. We are out of time.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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I will allow the Minister to reply. I will need two minutes.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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No, it will be a short supplementary question.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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A minute and a half.

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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Officials at the embassy of Ireland in Madrid and the consular assistance team of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade have provided extensive consular assistance to the family in this case since the time of the Irish citizen's disappearance eight years ago. The Garda liaison officer based in our embassy in Madrid remains in ongoing contact with the Spanish police authorities regarding the case.

My Department cannot and should not play any direct role in the investigation process as is it is a matter for the police in Spain who are still actively investigating the case. Any information pertaining to the investigation should be referred directly to An Garda Síochána, which can liaise with the Spanish authorities through the appropriate police channels. The Garda Síochána has designated family liaison officers in this case and they stand ready to provide the family with any updates or information on developments in the case.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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This case concerns Amy Fitzpatrick, who disappeared in January 2008 while living in the town of Calahonda in Spain. She lived with her mother Audrey, stepfather David Mahon and her brother Dean. She was 15 years of age at the time.

The Spanish authorities put in a credible effort to locate her, sadly to no avail. Subsequent to that, tragedy struck again when Amy's brother Dean, then aged 23, was stabbed to death by his stepfather, David Mahon, in Northern Cross in Dublin in May 2013. David Mahon was tried and this year found guilty of the killing and is serving a seven-year sentence. All of this has been an unimaginable ordeal for Amy and Dean's biological father, Christopher Fitzpatrick.

Christopher and his sister Christine have never given up on trying to establish what became of Amy. In light of events, Christopher and Christine reasonably feel that there is an obvious fresh line of inquiry that the Guardia Civil in Spain could pursue and that the help of the Government is needed to respectfully prompt the Spanish authorities to pursue this. I am obviously constrained in what more I can say, but the Minister will understand.

Christopher and Christine, who have supporters in the Gallery, submitted a letter to the Minister for Justice and Equality requesting that this be done. My office was asked to submit a question to the Minister alluding to the letter and to seek a positive response. My question was forwarded to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. I ask him if he will take the necessary steps to talk to the Spanish authorities and, as necessary, liaise with the Department of Justice and Equality and-or gardaí to ensure they share whatever information they think may be of use to the Guardia Civil in this matter. It would be beneficial if the Department of Foreign and Trade and-or representatives of the Department of Justice and Equality could meet Christopher and Christine.

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I wish to assure the Deputy that we have already provided extensive consular assistance to the family. I wish to make it quite clear, however, that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will not and cannot play any role in the investigation process as that is a matter for the Spanish police. We would be pleased to offer whatever consular assistance we can in the circumstances.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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Will the Minister or representatives of his Department meet Christopher and Christine?

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I am sure we can arrange for representatives of the Department to meet representatives of the family. In this regard, we should have one family contact point.