According to Irish newspaper Extra.ie, the family of Jean, who disappeared almost four years ago in Cascais, has called on the Irish government to urge its Portuguese counterpart to ask Portuguese authorities to "carry out a more in-depth investigation into what happened".
According to the same website, Varadkar intends to discuss the case with the Portuguese head of government next month.
"The Portuguese police must explain why it took so long to register Jean as missing in their database and why they did not respond to her family when they requested her bank account records", highlighted the official, adding that it is still necessary to understand why the Portuguese authorities did not access Jean's social networks, since, nowadays, these are considered "essential tools" for an investigation, something that he considers to be "unacceptable".
Former Irish Justice Minister and current Fianna Fáil MP, Brendan Smith, has also spoken about the case. He believes it is "totally unacceptable" that the Portuguese police took three years to add Jean to the missing persons database, accusing the authorities of not having used all the possible tools they had at their disposal to search for the Irish woman.
Jean Tighe was 38 years old when she disappeared from a hostel where she was staying in Parede, in Cascais, on July 13, 2020, allegedly accompanied by a man whose identity remains unknown.
On several occasions, the Irish woman's family has accused the Portuguese authorities of not having properly investigated Jean's disappearance.
In covering this story, do you not think it would have been a good idea to include a photograph of this missing lady?
By Steve Westcott from Lisbon on 29 Feb 2024, 11:12
Good luck. I have been living at secret addresses for the last year. I am told I should not go to my home on my own. I am now broadcasting this to all and sundry. Why should I have to live like this? Enough.
By Orla Dargan from Algarve on 29 Feb 2024, 11:16
Hostels are dangerous even in a safe country like Portugal. Jean Tighe was staying at a Hostel and seen with an unidentified man, this man is most likely responsible for her disappearance, he's most likely a tourist too. The lesson here is to stay in hotels or resorts they are much safer and have security, such as security guards and surveillance cameras. It's too bad she didn't stay at a hotel in Portugal and it's not expensive to travel to Portugal so l don't understand why she simply didn't utilize that option.
By Lisa from Other on 29 Feb 2024, 19:09