The new evidence emerged from evidence submitted by medical examiners to the Department of Justice. He had requested details of all human remains in the forensic areas dating back 70 years. Irish TV RTÉ reported that the department’s investigation found that there were 13 unidentified whole remains and 14 partial remains. Seven are men, three are women and the rest are unknown. Justice Minister Helen McEntee said all coroners were dispatched last year and asked to provide information on any unidentified remains they had in their district. Ms McEntee said the intention was for the information to be passed on from her office to the gardaí (Irish police) and “we hope it will enable and support the missing persons unit with Forensic Science Ireland to identify more missing persons and hopefully help more families”. The National Helpline for Missing Persons, which represents families of missing persons, said it hoped the number of 27 unidentified bodies was accurate, noting that more than 800 people were listed as “long-term missing” in the country. Its chairman, Dermot Brown, said “anything to help bring some relief to families is welcome”. He added that information on unidentified remains should not be kept by local coroners but in a central location. Ms McEntee said information about the unidentified remains would be placed on a central database updated annually by coroners from their districts and it was “really important that all this information is accessible” to gardaí. Professor Denis Cusack, coroner and coroner and former coroner for County Kildare, said the database would help families of missing people find closure. Ms McEntee said DNA tests on the 27 unidentified remains were a matter for the Gardaí and Forensic Science Ireland.
