Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 474: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she intends to provide funding to the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children for the 116000 missing children hotline; and if following ComReg's allocation of the 116000 number to the ISPCC she will confirm that the hotline number will be operational before the summer recess. [12578/12]

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. My Department established and is leading a cross-sectoral Project Team, including representatives of my own Department, the Department of Justice and Equality, ComReg and An Garda Síochána to advance this matter.

The position is that ComReg, who have responsibility for allocation of this number in Ireland, received an application to operate the Hotline from the ISPCC. Following cross departmental consultation and an examination of the issues involved by the Project team, ComReg has now allocated the number to the ISPCC. In the coming months the Project Team will work to ensure that the Hotline becomes operational as soon as possible and operates in a way that supports and augments existing arrangements to secure child protection.