Calls for government to bring back the missing person’s helpline

Missing people support groups say there is huge demand for the Minister for Justice Michael McDowell to reinstate the national missing person's helpline.

The service was shut down in March 2005 due to lack of funding from the Government.

A number of websites have been established to help an estimated 20 families a year who's loved ones are never found.

Father Aquinas Duffy runs missing.ws, and says there are currently fifty missing persons appeals on his website.

"I think that has left a huge vacuum in Ireland,” he said. “When a person now goes missing there is nowhere really to turn. Now in recent times there is now an organisation called Missing in Ireland Support Services. I know missing in Ireland certainly put it to the Minister that they would be prepared to run a service provided they got the right funding but that hasn't materialised as of yet."