DNA to be used to identify Irish tsunami victims

The Government is to take DNA samples from the relatives of Irish people missing following the tsunami disaster in the Indian Ocean as part of efforts to find Irish casualties among the dead.

More than 20 Irish nationals are believed to be unaccounted for following the St Stephen's Day devastation, but the Department of Foreign Affairs is particularly concerned about four people missing in Thailand.

They are Eilis Finnegan, from Ballyfermot in Dublin, Lucy Coyle, from Killiney in Dublin, Conor Keatley from Co Tyrone and Michael Murphy from Co Wexford.

The Thai authorities have been taking DNA samples from the bodies of all foreigners recovered following the huge tidal wave in the hope that they can be eventually be identified and returned to their families.