Closure for the families of the missing

WE HAVE all been shocked by the story of the three women, one of whom hails from these shores, who were held in captivity in London for 30 years.

It brings into focus the issue of missing persons at a time when I have introduced a bill in the Houses of the Oireachtas to help make life easier for families who are left behind when people go missing and are presumed dead.

As the law presently stands, if a person goes missing, and it is clear from all the evidence available that they have died, there is no legal procedure available to allow for their estate to be managed.