Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 448: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason his Department continued paying funds for the missing persons helpline several months into 2005 despite same having ceased operations in 2004. [8848/06]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 449: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the breakdown of the funds paid for the missing persons helpline; and the cost annually for wages, rent publicity and office expenses for the few years of its existence. [8849/06]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 450: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if it is a matter for concern that the missing persons helpline did not appear in the telephone directories or the golden pages for the years of its operation; his views on whether this could account for the small number of calls to the helpline as described in the reply to a previous parliamentary question. [8850/06]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 451: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of publicity leaflets highlighting the missing persons helpline which were printed; the way in which they were distributed; the other publicity campaigns which were run and financed by his Department to ensure that the public were aware of the helpline and its services; and his views on whether this could also have accounted for the small number of calls to the helpline. [8851/06]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 452: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason for the delay in the distribution of leaflets for the missing persons helpline from the time they were printed until they eventually appeared in Garda stations, which was said to have been over six months; the further reason they were only available in Garda stations; and his views on whether this would also have accounted for the small number of calls recorded to the missing persons helpline. [8852/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 448 to 452, 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. To date, in spite of requests, no audited accounts have been received in my Department. I am not in a position, therefore, to provide a breakdown of expenditure incurred by the missing persons helpline.

In March 2005, I decided that continued funding of the Victim Support organisation could no longer be justified, due to serious concerns in relation to governance, accountability for public funds and poor service levels, after a lengthy period of instability within the organisation. I understand that Victim Support Limited closed down its headquarters operation during 2005 and a number of staff were made redundant, including the person employed to operate the missing persons helpline.

The conditions under which my Department provided funding did not include any requirements concerning operational activities of the helpline. Decisions made in relation to the advertising or publicity of the helpline were made by Victim Support, an independent, non-governmental organisation with charitable status, which managed the operation of the helpline, in conjunction with the helpline itself.

Since March 2005, funding for services providing victim support is provided through the independent Commission for the Support of Victims of Crime. The commission received an application for funding from the Missing in Ireland support service in April 2005. The application was for €71,000 to staff and operate a helpline for missing persons. After careful consideration of the application the commission decided to offer funding of €25,000. However, this offer was rejected by the Missing in Ireland support service. It should be borne in mind in this context that the commission is charged with funding support services for victims of crime, and that while some persons who are missing are crime victims, most are not. It remains open to the Missing In Ireland support service to make an application to my Department for assistance if it wishes. Any such application will be carefully considered on its merits.