Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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349. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the total number of persons currently listed missing or otherwise unaccounted for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7954/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, by law the investigation of any missing persons case is an operational matter for An Garda Síochána. As Minister for Justice, I have no role in any individual Garda investigation.

I am advised by the Garda authorities that, as of 14 February this year, there are 844 persons reported as missing recorded on the Garda PULSE database. This data is operational and liable to change. I am informed that all missing person investigations remain open until the missing person is located.

I am further advised that a missing person investigation commences when the incident is reported to An Garda Síochána and is constantly reviewed at Superintendent level in the relevant Garda district at specific junctures within the investigation. This helps to ensure that the risk assigned to the investigation is ratified, that all investigative actions appropriate to the investigation are being pursued, and that the appropriate resources have been assigned to the investigation.