Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 278: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to establish the 116000 EU hotline number for missing children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14341/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I am informed that the telephone number to which the Deputy refers has been reserved by the European Commission as a common missing children telephone hotline for the entire EU. It is made available by national telecoms regulators to organisations capable of providing such a service. The allocation of the number in Ireland is therefore a matter in the first instance for the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) and the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.

I am informed that ComReg has published an information note on its website which makes all relevant information available to potential applicants who may wish to provide the 116000 service. It also issued corresponding national press advertisements inviting applications. To date no applications have been received.