Government urged to re-establish missing persons helpline

Minister for Justice Michael McDowell is coming under pressure to re-establish the national missing persons helpline as International Missing Children's Day is marked worldwide.

The service was set up in 2002, but funding was pulled in 2003 when it only received 100 calls.

The Gardaí say more than 20 people reported missing in Ireland every year are never found, including several children.

Fianna Fáil's John McGuinness said today that more effort was needed from the Irish authorities to tackle the situation.

He said funding for the missing person's helpline should be restored, while trained Gardaí were also needed to oversee efforts to trace missing people.

European Commission vice president Franco Frattini today also called for Ireland to take more action to recover 58 missing children.