Support and counselling is available for families of missing persons who may be distressed by the discovery of remains in the Dublin Mountains at the weekend, chairman of Missing in Ireland Support Service Dermot Browne has said.
The charity, which operates the National Missing Persons Helpline, had not had contact from anyone who thought the remains could be that of their missing family member, Mr Browne said yesterday.
However, he encouraged anyone with concerns to get in touch.
“This will be a very anxious time for some families who will be sitting by the phone waiting for a call and we would encourage anyone who feels the need for support to contact us.”
The discovery of human remains “opened old wounds”, particularly for people whose loved ones were missing for a long time, Mr Browne said.
However, most people whose relatives were among the long-term missing would be hoping for "closure" he said.
'Decent burial'
“It is a case of wishing it is and wishing it isn’t. Obviously the outcome everyone wants is that the person will return, but for the long-term missing, most people come to the conclusion that the worst has happened and all they want is a decent burial for the person and so they can have somewhere to visit.”
The one positive thing to come from the discovery at the weekend was that it might bring relief for one family, he said. “While it remains unclear who this person is likely to be, I would hope the identification of the remains will allow one family to get closure.”
The helpline, which is staffed 24 hours a day, can be contacted at 1890 442 552. Help is also available at missingpersons.ie.