Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join my colleagues in conveying my sympathies to the families who have suffered a loss over the past week. It is a difficult time for them and for all of the people directly or indirectly involved in the events of the past seven days. It is important that we pay tribute to everyone involved in helping, including the Garda, those who volunteered to assist the Garda, and those who gave information about the events at a very early date. They reacted in a positive and proactive way to assist the Garda.The remains have been identified and located in both cases but there are many cases of remains not being located with families left without knowing what happened when a loved one went missing. That is the reason I introduced the Civil Law (Missing Persons) Bill in 2016. It has passed two Stages in the House. I have had discussions with officials in the Department of Justice and Equality about it and they intend to table amendments, but I ask the Leader to progress the legislation. Where a body is not found, a death certificate cannot be issued and that causes problems for families. Will he ask the Minister for Justice and Equality to take the next Stage of the Bill? A mechanism like this has been in operation in Scotland for more than 30 years and it is time it was in operation in Ireland as well.