Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 212: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of people registered as missing at the present time; the extent to which the section dealing with this issue has adequate resources and staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21807/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I have made inquiries with the Garda authorities and the information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table. The figure for 2004 is provisional and liable to change.

When a person is reported missing, the local Garda superintendent takes direct responsibility for the investigation and appoints an investigation team to include any specialised unit deemed necessary, for example, the national bureau of criminal investigation or the technical bureau. The Garda authorities have assured me that every effort is made to locate all missing persons and that they consider the current procedures for dealing with missing persons to be adequate. All files remain open and under continuous review. The procedures are also kept under constant review.

The Garda missing persons bureau is attached to Garda headquarters and is responsible for data relating to missing persons. It also has responsibility for the compilation and updating of data in this regard, along with the administration of the Irish missing children's website, www.missingkids.ie, launched in September 2004 in association with the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children. The Garda authorities are satisfied that adequate resources and staff are in place to deal with this issue and are in line with best international policing practice.