Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 276: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has received a letter from a person (details supplied) in Dublin 14, regarding the setting up and funding of a missing persons helpline; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39832/05]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 277: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the position regarding the helpline for missing persons which he launched in 2002; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39833/05]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 278: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on his statement (details supplied) launching the helpline for missing persons on 25 October 2002. [39834/05]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 279: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason funding was withdrawn from the helpline for missing persons after only two years in view of his opinion in launching same on 25 October 2002 (details supplied). [39835/05]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 280: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his Department has offered less than 40% of the funding which was available to the helpline for missing persons when it was launched by him in 2002; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39836/05]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 281: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason, out of the €65,000 funding granted to the missing persons helpline in 2002, payment was made to the Garda Síochána for posters and to pay victim support for other services, leaving the helpline with a paltry sum to try and ensure its survival. [39837/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 276 to 281, inclusive, together.

The national missing persons helpline was established in October 2002. Initial funding of €65,000, to include set-up costs, was provided by my Department to establish a dedicated national missing persons helpline, to be operated and administered by Victim Support. Further funding of €45,000 was provided to the helpline in 2003. This funding was provided subject to the conditions that no funding beyond the year 2003 should be implied and audited accounts should be provided to my Department on a calendar basis. To date no audited accounts have been received in my Department.

An information leaflet outlining the services provided by the helpline was drawn up by Victim Support in conjunction with the Garda Síochána. This leaflet was distributed to families of missing people through the Garda missing persons bureau. Approximately €10,500 was spent by the helpline on leaflets in 2002 and 2003 to promote the service in this way.

The conditions under which the Department provided funding did not include any requirement to fund the production of leaflets or posters and any decision to do so was made by the helpline itself. With regard to paying Victim Support for its services, it will be noted that the helpline was operated by Victim Support during the period in operation.

Funding for services providing victim support is provided through the independent Commission for the Support of Victims of Crime which I established in March 2005 following a review of existing provision for crime victims. The Commission's remit is to devise an appropriate support framework for victims of crime into the future and disburse funding for victim support measures. The sum of €750,000 has been made available for disbursement under commission supervision in 2005 to community and other voluntary groups providing victim services, with a particular emphasis on the funding of activities on the ground that provide direct supports for victims of crime. The commission is fully independent in its decision making and evaluates each application on its merits.

The commission received an application for funding from the missing persons helpline on 19 April 2005. The application was for €71,000 to staff and run a helpline for missing persons. In this context, it might be borne in mind that most missing persons are not victims of crime.

I am advised that the application was considered in detail by the commission at its meeting of 25 April 2005 and that it was decided to offer the missing persons helpline €25,000, approximately one third of the amount sought. However, the helpline declined this offer of funding on the basis that it would accept only the full amount sought. Other than the request to the independent commission for funding, no request for funding was made by the helpline to my Department as such.

It is, of course, open to the helpline to make a new application for funding to my Department, which will be considered on its merits. Officials from my Department have been unable to trace any recent correspondence from the person in question regarding the setting up and funding of a missing persons helpline.