KEY AGENCIES dealing with missing children yesterday signed a protocol outlining their roles and responsibilities on the issue.
The Garda Síochána and the Health Service Executive (HSE) said it was their joint aim to reduce the number of children who go missing from State care and to return to safety those who did go missing.
The protocol sets out what is to be done by both organisations when a child is officially reported missing to the Garda. It covers separated children seeking asylum as well as those who come into HSE care through other routes.
Among its features is the establishment of a Garda liaison role with children placed in HSE care. This local liaison role includes a mechanism to identify children in care who are frequently reported missing.
Signing the protocol alongside HSE chief executive Brendan Drumm, Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy said: “I am very conscious of the devastation and stress caused to families and their relatives when a child goes missing. Thankfully the vast majority of these children are located safe and well.”
Prof Drumm said the protocol would strengthen co-operation between the two organisations.
The document was welcomed by Fine Gael’s immigration spokesman Denis Naughten. However, he said the disappearance of 22 migrant children from HSE accommodation in the past year still required explaining.
Profiles of a number of these children had yet to be posted on the Garda’s website, missingkids.ie, he added.
