Departmental Funding

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 March 2012

Thursday, 22 March 2012

Questions (15, 16)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Question:

15 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the level of funding required to operate the 116000 missing children hotline; the level of funding that the State has allocated for this purpose; if the State has made an application for funding under the EU Daphne programme for this and the level of funding applied for; the date on which an answer will be received on this application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15118/12]

Mary Lou McDonald

Question:

49 Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide the details of the technical issues that ComReg is currently examining that have prevented it from activating the 116000 missing children hotline to date; and the date on which she expects the number to be activated. [15117/12]

Written answers

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Deputy Frances Fitzgerald)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 49 together.

Under EU telecoms rules agreed in 2009, the 116000 number is reserved in all EU member states for a missing children hotline. My Department established and is leading a cross-sectoral Project Team, including representatives of my own Department, the Department of Justice and Equality, ComReg and An Garda Síochána to advance this matter.

The position is that ComReg, who have responsibility for allocation of this number in Ireland, received an application to operate the Hotline from the ISPCC. Following cross departmental consultation and an examination of the issues involved by the Project team, ComReg has now allocated the number to the ISPCC. The operation of Hotline is now a matter for the ISPCC who have made an application for funding to the European Commission and a decision on this application is pending. The ISPCC are currently finalising the project plan for the Hotline and will liaise with the Project Team on this matter.

In the coming months the Project Team will work to ensure that the Hotline becomes operational as soon as possible and operates in a way that supports and augments existing arrangements to secure child protection.