State blamed for ignoring plea to re-establish missing people helpline

FAMILIES and friends of more than 4,000 people who go missing every year believe the Government is ignoring their plea to re-establish a national missing persons’ helpline.

The National Missing Persons’ Helpline, established under the auspices of the now defunct Victim Support, was withdrawn last March.

It had been hoped that the garda supported helpline, set up on a trial basis by the Department of Justice in October 2002, would be the first step towards establishing a full missing person’s service in line with other jurisdictions.