A 14-year-old Dublin girl was reunited with her parents yesterday after she was involved in a high-speed Garda chase in west Clare early yesterday.
The girl's parents had reported her missing from home three weeks ago. They claimed at the time that she had been abducted.
The parents travelled from Tallaght, Dublin, to Ennis Garda station yesterday where social workers were interviewing their daughter. After long discussions between the parties, the girl and her parents left the Garda station.
The mystery about her whereabouts ended after a Garda chase in which they tried to apprehend a man driving a jeep.
The chase went through Kilkee, Miltown Malbay, Carrigaholt and ended in Inagh where the man was arrested.
The girl accompanied the man. The Garda authorities in Ennis said no charges would be preferred against her but they were investigating allegations that she may have been abducted. It is understood, however, that they believe the girl may have become infatuated with the man.
Gardai, under Supt Gerry Kelly, Kilrush, had a vehicle under surveillance which was flashing its lights out to sea in Kilkee at 10minute intervals.
The gardai believed the vehicle's occupants may have been signalling to a drug-carrying boat and alerted the Naval Service.
It was then that gardai moved in after mounting road blocks and the chase took place. Gardai spoke of patrol cars being rammed on several occasions and they were fortunate not to have suffered serious injury.
A list is being compiled of the ships and other vessels near the west Clare coast over the past number of days. Gardai and civilians have been keeping a close watch following the seizure of drugs in Fanore and more recently from vessels at the ESB generating station at Moneypoint in the Shannon estuary and Cappagh Pier also on the estuary.