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 The site, which can be accessed at http://www.missingpersons.ie, is being co-ordinated by an independent research body, who say that it is intended to complement the existing sites, www.missing.ws and www.missinginireland.com, established for a similar purpose.
Statistics show in that in 1999, 1800 people were recorded missing, and more than 20 of those have still not been traced. Gardai have not yet released statistics for the year 2000, although they are expected to be published shortly.
The site will post names and details of missing people, where visitors will also be able to record sightings of individuals.
In addition to this, it will also provide a service whereby missing people can e-mail the Web site through an agency they may be in contact with. The message can subsequently be passed on to friends of families of the missing people.
The aim of the site is to provide practical information and materials, access to available resources and supports and promotional and publicity aid for the family and friends of missing people.
"The benefit of the site is that it won't be stand-alone, we hope it will be inclusive in the national co-ordinated effort," Robbert Lynch, co-ordinator of Missingpersons.ie told ElectricNews.Net. "We hope to have on board other people from other agencies, to make it a more co-operative venture. As well as the Web site, we have our leaflet, our helpline and a number of other publications in process, which we hope will form the background of a support network."
Missingpersons.ie is not currently officially funded or supported and employs three people on a voluntary basis.
Lynch said that the site will be similar to missingpersons.org in the UK. He also said that the co-ordinators received much help and support from the National Missing Persons unit in Australia.
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