'Ambiguous loss' of missing highlighted

THERE WAS a “dreadful ambiguous loss” when a loved one went missing, a gathering of families of missing people and those who work to find them was told at the weekend.

Liam McCarthy of Community Lifestyle Workshops was presenting diplomas in family and individual support to 22 people at a ceremony in the Garda Síochána social club in Dublin at the weekend. These people will work to support people affected by a loved one going missing.

The event also marked the relaunch of the Missing Persons Helpline, which had to close due to a cut in funding in 2005.

Mr McCarthy said the loss of a person thought to have gone missing gave rise to “ambiguous grieving, as there is no end in sight, no closure and, in so many cases in Ireland, as we know, that ambiguous grief continues when there is no end guaranteed”.

Dermot Browne, chairman of Missing in Ireland Support Services said that when the helpline closed in 2005, it “left a gap” which the organisation had been working since to fill.

“With the aid of a grant from the Commission for Support of Victims of Crime, we are now restoring the helpline which will dovetail with our support service.

“However, this also places a huge challenge on our capacity to raise sufficient funds to enable us to continue in business.”

Mr Browne said they relied on the public’s generosity and predicted that demand would increase and put further pressure on funds. “Research has established that up to 12 people are seriously affected by each missing person.”

Kathleen O’Toole of the Garda Inspectorate said she was “really inspired” by the work of the support group and stressed the importance of strong collaboration between the Garda and families when investigating a missing person case.

Insp Noel Carroll of Crime Policy Administration at Garda Headquarters, who has responsibility for missing persons, said about 8,000 people were reported missing last year. “At the moment,” Insp Carroll said, “there are 67 [cases] still outstanding.”

Of the 8,000, about 5,600 were people under 18.

The Missing Persons Helpline can be contacted at 1890 442 552.