Missing Persons Helpline Debate

Date: 3/5/2007
There have been a lot of articles in the news section of this site concering a missing persons’ helpine, presently there is no help line in this country, despite the fact that since missing.ie was founded in May 2000, the number of people reported missing to the Gardai, has increased by two hundred persent, up to the year 2005 and the number continues to rise.

So taking these facts into consideration it is fair to say that this long standing Goverment of ours. appear to have taken the view that the bigger the problem gets, the less they do about it.

A lot of people in this country will not have suffered the trauma of having a loved one going missing. One week from the date this article is posted, 115 more families will, and this will continue and continue to increase as each week passes.

These numbers speak for themselves,and when we say numbers,we mean people.A fully funded,stand alone, help line is needed, the Goverment know this,and have known this for some time,so the Missing persons Association are again asking that funds be made available to set up a National Missing Persons Helpline,and that the helpline be run in the following way:

Every Garda station in the country have the number, and every member of the Gardai who take a missing persons report be obliged to pass the number onto the person making the report .

The helpline must be staffed by a qualified person, who can deal with the calls. Tte helpline must also have a full list of and contact details for all organisations voluntary,or other wise who are trained in searching for missing people,and asssisting families of missing people.
whatever resources are needed by the Gardíai to tackle this problem,must also be made available to them.

The Missing Persons’ Association now speak to the public. A general election is coming soon, we ask you keep this in mind when casting your vote. The next person that goes missing,could be a member of your family. To understand what is is to have a loved one Missing, is best explained in this way:

{1} A good outcome would be that your missing loved one is found safe and well

{2} A bad outcome is that your missing loved one is found Deceased.

{3} the worst outcome is that your missing loved one is not found.

David Linehan
Missing Persons’ Association