Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 798: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when she will establish a missing children's hotline here in line with a pan-European effort on this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1072/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Under EU telecoms rules agreed in 2009, the 116000 number is reserved in all EU member states for a missing children hotline. In a recent debate on this issue in Seanad Éireann, on 12th October last, I gave a commitment to work with relevant Departments and agencies to establish this Hotline in Ireland in 2012. I also announced my intention to establish a cross-sectoral Project Team to include representatives of my own Department, the Department of Justice and Equality, ComReg and an Garda Síochána. The first meeting of the group is taking place this week. I have asked the project team to work as quickly as possible in advancing this matter.

In June 2011, ComReg, who have responsibility for allocation of this number in Ireland, sought expressions of interest to run the Hotline and to date one application has been received. I am aware of and have met with other Irish NGOs who may be interested, but their estimated costings vary significantly. The Project Team will examine how best to operate the Hotline, in the context of the demand for the service, and to establish the extent to which services, including Garda and victim support services, which are already in existence and receiving Government funding, can be mobilised to meet Ireland's commitments in relation to the Hotline.

I want to emphasise that the investigation of a child's disappearance is the responsibility of the Garda. Their structures in this regard include not only the local Gardaí, who will have primary responsibility for the investigation, but also the Missing Persons Bureau. It is of paramount importance that any arrangements which are put in place to establish the 116000 Hotline in Ireland do not compromise the requirement that the first and most important contact to be made, is to notify the Garda of the fact that a child is missing, so the investigation can commence without delay. However the implementation of a dedicated missing children hotline is intended to provide a further level of support in such situations.