Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 86: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if it is her intention to have the national missing children's hotline, when established, run by a State agency or outsourced to a private company; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8064/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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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 led 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.

In the coming months the Project Team will now 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.