Maria Corrigan (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Chair for giving me an opportunity to raise this important issue. I thank the Minister of State for attending the House to respond.

The issue I wish to raise is the need for a national hotline dealing with missing children. I cannot imagine the pain and loss experienced by the family of someone who goes missing. Families do not know what has happened to the children, where they are and whether they are alive. As difficult as it is to live every day of the rest of one's life wondering whether today will be the day a loved one returns through the door or gardaí visit with sad news, I cannot begin to imagine what it is like for the families of children who go missing. Children are vulnerable and, in many instances, unable to fend for themselves alone.

It has been internationally established that hotline numbers have a critical role to play in the search for missing children. In Ireland, more than 424 children have gone missing from the care of the HSE in recent years. We have not yet undertaken a national campaign to establish their safety and whereabouts. The provision of a hotline would play an important role, in that it would be a central number through which anyone with information regarding the children could make contact. It would also send an important message, namely, we take child protection seriously and Ireland is not a soft target for trafficking.

The establishment of a hotline number in respect of missing children would provide an immediate point of contact for any child who goes missing. It is also something we agreed to do when we signed up to the EU common number, 116000, which is operational in several EU countries. The idea is that, no matter where one is in Europe, ringing that number will link one to the hotline. However, it is not yet operational in Ireland despite the fact we awarded the use of the number to an organisation following invitations for submissions. I would appreciate an update from the Minister of State regarding the provision and operation of the number. It should be done on an all-island basis.

John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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): I apologise that the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, cannot be present to answer this debate. However, I welcome the opportunity to reply to this Adjournment debate, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister of State with responsibility for children and youth affairs. The issue of missing children has been high on his agenda, particularly in respect of those children entering the State who have gone missing immediately or from the care of the HSE.

Regarding the proposal referred to by the Senator to put in place an EU hotline for missing children, the Minister of State has had discussions on this matter with non-governmental organisations. He will keep the Seanad informed of developments in this regard. It is also a matter of great concern to him that a number of unaccompanied minors have gone missing after entering the State. It is important to state this phenomenon is not unique to Ireland.

The issue is complex and, at times, its treatment has been oversimplified. I would like to take this opportunity to highlight some positive developments. To tackle this serious problem, the HSE has developed a strong working relationship with the Garda National Immigration Bureau, GNIB, in respect of missing children. The level of inter-agency co-operation between the HSE and the bureau has been consistently high and was intensified in the face of the increase in the number of missing children who presented in late 2008 and early 2009.

A joint national protocol on children who go missing from care has been agreed between the Garda and the HSE. Intensive meetings took place last year between HSE management, the GNIB and local gardaí in respect of adapting this protocol in terms of application to unaccompanied minors who go missing. The following measures were agreed: collaborative interviewing at the ports between social workers and gardaí; fingerprinting of persons presenting as under age at the ports for tracking purposes; planned Garda surveillance of those at risk of going missing from the point of presentation at ports; the passing of information relating to the notification system of missing persons to local gardaí, to be closely monitored by Garda inspectors; joint training of HSE staff and gardaí and GNIB staff in respect of children at high risk of going missing; and the sharing of photographic evidence between HSE and Garda.

These measures were implemented and existing processes improved throughout 2009. GNIB mounted several surveillance operations in collaboration with HSE staff and successfully tracked some children who went missing. There was a decline in the number of children presenting and remaining missing in the final quarter of 2009. This was the result of intensive inter-agency efforts throughout that year. No children were reported missing in October-November 2009. One was reported missing in December but was subsequently traced. The HSE has not been in a position to provide current information owing to ongoing industrial action.

The Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs and HSE management and staff have been closely involved in collaboration with the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform in the development of the national action plan on anti-human trafficking and the Minister of State with responsibility for children is committed to ensuring we play an active part in combating trafficking as outlined in this plan.

The implementation plan for the report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, 2009 contains a commitment that unaccompanied minors will be accommodated in mainstream care instead of hostels by December of this year. This move from hostel accommodation to residential and foster care should assist in ensuring that fewer children go missing. The HSE has begun the process of phasing out the hostel arrangements. Three of the seven hostels closed in 2009 and those remaining will close this year. The Minister is satisfied that the efforts made by the HSE and GNIB to address concerns regarding unaccompanied minors have proved effective. Both agencies are committed to intensifying their joint work in this area with a view to preventing children from going missing and locating those who do. I advise anyone who has information about missing children to contact the Garda Síochána's missing persons bureau or their local Garda station.

Maria Corrigan (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I look forward to hearing from the Minister of State with responsibility for children in respect of the developments that are taking place. While the issue of children in the care of the HSE who have gone missing is extremely important, the hotline number to which I refer does not relate solely to them and is part of the EU response to missing children.