The Law Reform Commission has recommended putting in place measures that would help the families of missing persons to deal with their financial issues and in some cases apply for a certificate of presumed death.
In a consultation paper published today, the Commission said there was a need for a statutory framework to allow family members to pay the bills of those who are missing.
Under the current law there is a presumption that a missing person is alive for up to seven years, with the presumption of death applying after that.
Having spoken to the relatives of missing persons, the Commission said families should be allowed to apply for a coroner’s inquest earlier than this.
It said legislation should be enacted to allow families to take out a limited grant of administration to deal with a missing person’s estate for up to two years.
It said this would allow families to deal, as far as possible, in the least expensive way with the emotional trauma of their relative going missing.
Between 7,000 and 8,000 people are reported missing in Ireland every year.
Most turn up within a short period of time and less than 1% remain missing for a long time.
