Colm Burke (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister and her detailed summary of the current position. My involvement goes back to 2007 to 2009 in the European Parliament, when this issue arose on a number of occasions. I note that to date 16 countries have signed up to the initiative and have the helpline in operation. Funding is an issue to the fore in dealing with any new service but it is interesting that in some countries the telecoms operator is providing the funding. I wonder if that avenue could be considered. In some countries there is a public private partnership and in others it is fully publicly funded.

It is particularly important to set up the helpline because more people are travelling between countries within the European Union. It is essential that it be established. The European Union set up the RAPEX system to identify defects in toys for children in a very short time. If a defective item is identified in toys in Ireland, the other 26 member states must be notified immediately. This initiative is just as important if not more so and I urge that everything be done to set it up as early as possible.