Concern at lack of detail and data on missing child cases

Children account for more than 70% of missing persons reports.

Concern is being raised at a lack of information from the Government on how many children have died or been found alive after being reported missing in the past decade.

Figures provided by justice minister Jim O’Callaghan on foot of a parliamentary question asked by Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín show that 8,154 of the 11,085 missing person incidents reported last year related to those under the age of 18. 

While the statistics show that 110 of the overall numbers of people reported missing were found dead and a further 69 remain missing, the Department of Justice redacted the numbers relating to children.

A similar approach was taken for each of the figures relating to each of the previous years to 2015.

The department said information relating to how many children reported missing were found dead or who remained missing was not revealed because it “indicates a count below 10”. 

In relation to the number of children found alive, that information was also redacted, with the department saying “indicates secondary redaction, as comparison might expose figures below 10 (eg giving figures for those found alive may also expose figures of those found dead, if that figure is [less than] 10)". 

Mr Tóibín expressed concern at "the lack of detail and data on the outcomes of these cases — the numbers found dead and found alive”.

The number of children going missing is astonishing, and again we don't have transparency or detail on it — we don't know the reasons for the disappearances, whether they ran away for a few hours or if they were kidnapped or trafficked, or what portion of these statistics represent suicides. 

"We know we have a major problem with child trafficking in Ireland, and that large numbers of children are going missing from State care each year, most of whom are migrant children.” 

JP O'Sullivan of Mecpaths, which works to educate and raise awareness about child trafficking, said it is “deeply concerning” that children account for more than 70% of missing persons reports.

“In Europe, one in six missing children will experience physical or sexual abuse during their 'missing' time. 

"Through our own work, we are aware of the increased exploitation of children that is being encountered and experienced across Ireland and would appeal for a cross-government approach to be adopted in relation to addressing the exploitation and possible exploitation of the significant numbers of missing children in Ireland today."

In January, an Irish Examiner investigation revealed that there are more than 130 children missing since 1977. 

It found that 25 children who went missing between January 2020 and December 2024 remained missing.