Garda criticised for missing persons investigation procedures

GARDA procedures for investigating missing people are 20 years out of date, according to Fianna Fail TD John McGuinness.

Mr McGuinness launched a fierce attack on the force during a fact-finding mission to the United States with Mary Phelan, the sister of missing Kilkenny woman Jo Jo Dullard.

He claimed Garda management has failed to act on a long-standing invitation from a US government-backed centre to be involved in an international missing person's network.

The Washington-based Missing and Exploited Children has a call centre manned by 200 people and a permanent FBI attachment.

He criticised the lack of a central investigative team and claimed there was a shortage of basic skills such as the ability to produce identikit pictures showing a missing persons as they would look years after their disappearance.

"I am absolutely appalled at what is available out here and not at home, at very little cost," the Kilkenny/Carlow deputy said after a series of meetings with activists, politicians and the FBI.

He raised the issue with Bertie Ahern in Washington this week.

The Taoiseach agreed to a further meeting when they return to Ireland.

A garda spokesman said he would be reluctant to respond to issues raised by politicians, however, garda sources rejected the claim its policy and practices are outdated and cited Operation Trace double the size of any single murder inquiry as an example of the force's commitment.