Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 222: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the recorded number of missing persons at present; the ongoing activity to identify their whereabouts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35962/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The Garda missing persons bureau is attached to Garda headquarters and is responsible for maintaining data relating to missing persons. It also has responsibility for maintaining the compilation and updating of data relating to missing persons, along with the administration in association with the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children of the Irish missing children's website — www.missingkids.ie — which I launched in September 2004.

The following table compiled by the Garda authorities shows the number of untraced persons by year recorded for the period 1990 to 2004. A figure for 2005 will be available after year end.

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 Garda 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 authorities are continuously monitoring international developments in relation to investigations of missing persons in order to ensure that best practice is followed and are satisfied that adequate resources and staff are in place to deal with this issue and are in line with best international policing practice.

The Garda Síochána interacts fully and as appropriate with all of the media outlets — print, radio and TV — in highlighting cases involving missing persons. The services of other external agencies such as Interpol and Europol are also available to assist in such investigations. In addition, every Garda district has a specially trained search team that is familiar with that locality.