Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Question 114: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he plans to implement the 116000 missing children hotline in line with 13 EU member states; and if he will provide the timeframe for same. [8697/11]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 115: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if Directive 2009/136/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009 will be transposed into Irish law before the deadline of 25 May 2011; and if so, pursuant to Article 27a of the directive, if there is a timeframe to put in place the 116000 missing children hotline; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8711/11]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 114 and 115 together.

I am pleased to advise the Deputy that drafting of the Regulations required to transpose Directive 2009/136/EC is at an advanced stage and it is expected that the Regulations will be signed into law by the deadline set by the European Commission of 25 May 2011. Article 27a of the Directive requires Member States to make every effort to ensure that citizens have access to a service operating a hotline to report cases of missing children under the number 116000. The allocation of specific numbers in the 116 number range of numbers, which are reserved for services of social value, is managed in Ireland by the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg).

In November 2007 ComReg alerted potential service providers, through an advertisement campaign, to the existence of the range of numbers beginning with 116, including the 116000 hotline for missing children. The November 2007 advertisement invited suitable applicants to apply for the setting up of services of social value under the specified numbers. I am advised by ComReg that no organisation has yet applied for the missing children hotline number 116000.

The role of ComReg is limited to the assignment of the number to an appropriate service provider. Once the number has been assigned, it is a matter for the service provider to provide the service. Neither ComReg nor my Department has any function in providing such services or the remit to require any organisation to provide the service.