Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Question 104: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 114 and 115 of 20 April 2011, if any organisations have applied for funding to run the 116000 missing child phone number from any Government Department; and if any organisation expressed an interest in tendering for the phone line but cost became a barrier to bidding. [10750/11]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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I can confirm that my Department has not received any application for funding of this service. Similarly, I understand that no application has been made to either the Department of Justice and Equality or the Department of Health and Children, who have policy functions in this area.

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.

While my Department has responsibility for policy and legislation governing electronic communications, the provision of services using electronic communications infrastructure, including services of social value like the 116000 hotline for missing children, is not a matter in which I have a function.