Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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419. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if the body parts of a human body, washed up on shore at Hook Head in County Wexford, have been identified; the reason letters and other contacts from a person (details supplied) in County Cork have not been replied to by her Department, in view of the fact the family provided DNA samples; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18703/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I am informed by the Garda authorities that Gardaí have made inquiries with the Forensic Science Laboratory on a number of occasions, most recently in February and March of this year, in relation to identifying the human remains which were recovered. I regret to say, however, that the examination of these remains has not yielded any positive results to date. My Department has recently provided an update to the person in question in this regard.

I am conscious of the continuing impact on the family concerned, as well as the impact on a number of other families in similar circumstances. I understand that obtaining DNA from remains which have been in the sea for long periods of time is extremely difficult. I am, however, assured that An Garda Síochána will continue to liaise with the Forensic Science Laboratory in relation to the possibility of an identification.