The funeral is taking place tomorrow of Kilkenny woman Mary Phelan who campaigned tirelessly to find her missing sister, Jo Jo Dullard.

A completed fresh report of an investigation into the disappearance 18 years ago of trainee school teacher Deirdre Jacob has not advanced a garda inquiry into the unsolved case.

The Garda cold case unit, which investigates unsolved homicides and high-profile missing person cases, has had its staffing cut by almost 50% in the past two years.

There were mounting hopes yesterday of a breakthrough in the investigation into the disappearance of Dundalk, Co Louth, teenager Ciara Breen in February 1997 after gardaí arrested a prime suspect for a second time.

A Garda chief has renewed appeals to people with information about the high-profile cases of missing women to end the “living nightmare” of families and come forward.

GARDAÍ investigating the crimes of convicted rapist Larry Murphy have found nothing of value from their search of a hunter’s cabin near his former home in west Wicklow.

GARDAÍ investigating the crimes of convicted rapist Larry Murphy have removed the concrete base of a remote hunter’s cabin near his Wicklow home.

THE relatives of missing Irish people will take part in a pilgrimage to pray for them on Sunday.

Convicted rapist Larry Murphy is tonight spending his first night as a free man after his controversial release from prison.

AS public anger mounts at this morning’s early release from prison of rapist Larry Murphy, it has emerged the Government has backtracked on plans to tag sex offenders after leaving prison.

The problem of reintegrating sex offenders into a society that does not want them has no easy solutions, writes Noel Baker on the freedom of rapist Larry Murphy

Justice Minister Dermot Ahern today revealed he has no power to interfere in the imminent release of one of Ireland’s most notorious rapists.

THE brother of convicted rapist Larry Murphy, due for release next month after 10 years in jail, has insisted the Arbour Hill prisoner will not be living with his family when released.

The Irish Crimestoppers Trust has launched a new campaign to help gardaí uncover any new information about the disappearance 13 years ago today of Jo Jo Dullard.

GARDA Commissioner Noel Conroy has placed unsolved crimes as a major priority in his last year in charge of the force.

A GROUP of cyclists aim to raise awareness of missing persons during a tour of Leinster counties this weekend.

GARDAÍ say they are still actively probing the disappearance of a 22 year-old woman who was last seen 12 years ago today.

A DIRECT appeal went out yesterday to anyone who may be harbouring secrets over the deaths and disappearances of eight women.

On the 10th anniversary of Jo Jo Dullard’s disappearance, her sister believes she knows the identity of her killer and says gardaí have not done enough, writes Cormac O’Keeffe.

A SISTER of missing woman Jo Jo Dullard yesterday said she had "lost complete confidence" in the gardaí.

Robert Lesarian Howard, from Wolfhill, Co Laois, was sentenced to life in prison in Britain in 2003 for murder of a 15-year-old English schoolgirl, Hannah Williams.

ROBERT HOWARD always plays the innocent when confronted by detectives in the interrogation room.

A SERIAL rapist, who is serving a life sentence for the murder of a 14-year-old girl in Britain, was investigated by gardaí in connection with the disappearance and murder of three Irish women, it has emerged.

THE surprise arrest of five people in the long running garda probe into the disappearance of Wexford teenager Fiona Sinnott will reawaken poignant memories of the six women who vanished without trace in one of Ireland’s great unsolved mysteries.

GARDAÍ have reopened their investigations into the ‘cold cases’ of six women who disappeared without trace in the 1990s.

GARDAÍ are to use a new sophisticated computer system to help crack the unsolved disappearances of six women.

AGE-ENHANCED photographs of missing young people will be posted on a new website set up by the gardaí but linked to an internationally renowned centre that tracks disappeared children.

By Michael O’Farrell, Political Reporter GARDAÍ hunting for Ireland’s missing persons are to receive training by FBI specialists, it emerged last night.

The Taoiseach is being asked to set up a missing persons bureau in Ireland, similar to those operating in America and other countries.

GARDA procedures for investigating missing people are 20 years out of date, according to Fianna Fail TD John McGuinness.

The family of Kilkenny woman Jo Jo Dullard - missing since 1995, will jet out to the United States today on a fact finding mission with the FBI.

THE Government should move immediately to dispel lingering doubts over its long-term commitment to funding a vital helpline in the search for Irish people who go missing.

DETECTIVES who headed the investigation into the missing British schoolgirls, Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells, have been asked to examine the case of disappeared Kilkenny woman, Jo Jo Dullard.