A new Bill which will help the families of missing persons has been welcomed by a Galway TD.
The new law means that the missing person’s financial and property affairs can be managed and put in order.
It provides that a presumption of death order has the effect of bringing a marriage or civil partnership with the missing person to an end.
Galway East TD Ciaran Cannnon welcomed the passing of the Bill, saying: “None of us wish to contemplate what we would do if a family member in Galway was to go missing without a trace.
“The passing of the Civil Law (Presumption of Death) Bill by the Houses of the Oireachtas – which provides for the establishment of a register of presumed deaths – will hopefully help provide some closure for the families of missing persons”.
He said that the Bill has an important practical impact for the families of missing persons by allowing them to apply for a Presumption of Death Order and this order has the same effect in law as the registration of a death under the Civil Registration Act 2004.
“Clearly, when a loved one goes missing, every effort is expended to find them, to ensure their safety and take their families from the pain of uncertainty.
“Sadly, where death must be presumed, this Bill will at least have practical and helpful applications,” added Minister Cannon.
