Politics

DNA to be collected from unidentified human remains in hopes of solving missing persons cases

Department of Justice has identified 44 unidentified human remains around the country, 16 of which have no DNA samples

Forensic Science Ireland will attempt to extract DNA from samples of the 16 unidentified remains. Picture: Getty

Exhumations are set to be carried out to obtain DNA samples from the remains of unidentified people who were found dead in recent decades.

The unidentified human remains were buried at a time when DNA technology was more basic and there were very few large DNA databases in existence.

The Department of Justice is hoping that obtaining new DNA samples will help solve some of the longest missing persons cases out of the 856 cases ...