Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 388: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will respond to a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37322/09]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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As mentioned in my previous reply to the Deputy, my Department, through the Consular Assistance Section in Dublin and our Embassy in Madrid, has been providing assistance in the case of the person mentioned by him since her disappearance on 1st January 2008. We have remained in contact with her Spanish and Irish family during this deeply worrying time for them.

The Embassy, including the Ambassador, has been in regular contact with the senior police officer leading the investigation and also with senior political representatives, and will continue to do so. The Spanish authorities have undertaken to keep our Embassy informed of developments, which they are treating as a missing persons case, and I can assure you that any information received to-date has and will continue be passed on immediately both to the family in Spain and in Ireland.

I am informed that a meeting between the father of the person concerned (accompanied by a consular official) and senior police officers involved in the investigation was facilitated by the Embassy. I am also informed that since the disappearance of the girl that there had been regular contact with her aunt and that she was provided with any information pertaining to the case that was available.

I can confirm that I did offer, following a request from her local Councillor, a meeting with the Head of our Consular Division, who is also the contact person for the Spanish based family in this case, and for him to report to me on that meeting. Furthermore, I made clear in my previous reply to you of 13 October that I am willing to meet the family members concerned and I repeat my invitation to them to contact my office on (01) 4082140 to arrange such a meeting. The Deputy should also be aware that we acceded to a request from the Irish family that the aunt mentioned by him would be our contact person in this very sad case. I can assure the Deputy that I have taken a strong interest in this case and I fully understand the acute distress the disappearance of the girl is causing all her extended family.