Photos of missing may be shown on RTE programme

RTÉ's Evening Prayer programme may soon feature photographs of missing persons, if proposals from a support group get the go-ahead.

Missing in Ireland Support Services (MISS) wants to use the late-night contemplation programme to display pictures of missing persons in the hope that the publicity will help to locate them. RTÉ has ruled out showing similar photos during the Angelus.

Dermot Browne of MISS said he had suggested the Angelus, but was told it was not an appropriate forum.

"They then suggested that the Evening Prayer might be suitable," he said. "They would make it available to us six times a year. There is a shortage of places for missing persons' photographs to be displayed, and we would be pleased to be able to avail of this."

A spokesman for RTÉ said it was currently considering the proposals along with submissions from other companies, but no final decision had been made. He added that the Angelus was there specifically for prayer and would not be suitable.

MISS offers support and counselling for families with missing members but, according to Mr Browne, its future could be in jeopardy following a threat to the funding of the national missing persons' helpline.

"The funding is being withdrawn from Victim Support at the end of the month and the helpline is funded through their office," he said. "People are referred to us by the helpline, and if that goes it will be impossible for families to find us."

He has also called on the Government to ensure that funding for the national missing persons' helpline is secured.

A spokesman for the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform said it was open to the helpline to make an application for fresh funding for this year.