Missing Persons Helpline in Ireland to Close

national | miscellaneous | news report Friday March 11, 2005 13:20 by Jon Glackin - Street Seen streetseen at hotmail dot co dot uk 0774 327 5533

Staff at Victim Support have been informed that the organisation will cease from 31 March next.
This decision by the Minister for Justice will also mean that the missing persons helpline at 1850 442 552 will also cease.

Staff at Victim Support have been informed that the organisation will cease from 31 March next.
This decision by the Minister for Justice will also mean that the missing persons helpline at 1850 442 552 will also cease.
Fr Aquinas Duffy from the Missing Persons Association stated “Having being part of a campaign for the establishment of the missing person’s helpline, it is with great sadness that this news is received. It is not clear what future plans, if any, are being proposed and such decisions will rest with the new Victim Support Commission announced on the 8th March by Mr Michael McDowell T.D., Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform.”

The Irish Government has once again shown clearly its lack of concern for its citizens leaving vital work to be carried out by the voluntary sector. These people are carrying out important work in our society unpaid and the Goverment continues to add to their troubles.
The Missing Persons Association was formed in 2002 to bring together groups and people whose aim is to locate missing persons. It can help with both the search for missing people and also to highlight the issue of missing persons. The MPA now has its own rescue boat in Cork and is able to do land and river searches in conjunction with the Mallow inshore search and rescue and the Canine search and rescue (Cork).
www.missing.ws