Government has ‘done nothing’ for missing Amy Fitzpatrick, says aunt
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The aunt of Amy Fitzpatrick, who has been missing for the past 15 years, has said the Government has "done nothing” for her niece.
On Tuesday, Christine Kenny hand-delivered letters addressed to several TDs seeking intervention in the investigation, calling for her missing person's case to be upgraded to a murder investigation
The 15-year-old from Coolock in Dublin disappeared on New Year's Day 2008 while staying in Malaga in Spain.
On the 15th anniversary of her disappearance, her family is urging the Irish Government to put pressure on Spanish police into upgrading the investigation.
Speaking outside Leinster House on Tuesday, Ms Kenny read a letter written by Amy's father: "I have lost both of my children in tragic circumstances and all I want is to be able to visit her alongside her brother.
"Our family is brokenhearted. Please help us find Amy and bring her home and lay her to rest."
Amy's brother Dean was stabbed to death in 2013.
The teenager vanished on the Costa Del Sol on New Year's Day in 2008 while walking to her Spanish home from a friend's house.
She disappeared with just the clothes she was wearing and had no passport or money.
Amy had been living in Spain with her mother Audrey, brother Dean, and her stepfather Dave Mahon.
Ms Kenny has previously criticised Irish authorities saying Amy's case had been "brushed aside".
She said her niece’s disappearance has been archived by the Guardia Civil in Spain.
“At the moment, Amy’s case is archived so it means that they’re not looking at Amy’s case and they haven’t been looking at it for years. It needs to be upgraded to murder and this is what I’m trying to get done now,” she said.
Ms Kenny said she was told by the Tánaiste’s office that they were fully aware of Amy’s case and that there was nothing that could be done, adding that the response was “very disappointing”.
“I’m very disappointed in the Government; the Government has done nothing for my niece,” she said.
Ms Kenny said despite new information, no progress has been made on the case.
She received an anonymous phone call from a woman several years ago saying that Amy was in a stable close to her former home in Spain and after passing on the information, nothing has been done.
Mary Lou MacDonald, who took a letter from Ms Kenny, said it has been 15 years of “absolute agony” for Amy’s family. She called for action from the Government.
Ms Kenny is calling on anyone who may have information to contact her on 087-665 8628.
“At the end of the day, somebody knows something and it’s about time they came forward,” she said.
A statement from the Department of Foreign Affairs said: “The Department of Foreign Affairs has engaged on this case and remains available to provide further consular assistance to the family, where possible. As with all consular cases the department does not comment on the details of any specific case.”