Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in view of Ireland currently holding the EU Presidency, if she will provide a definite time frame for when the EU Missing Children's Hotline 116000 will be operational here; and if she will provide a guarantee that there will be funds available to operate the service annually. [14774/13]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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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. Following cross departmental consultation and an examination of the issues involved by the Project Team, ComReg, which has responsibility for the allocation of the Missing Children Hotline number in Ireland, allocated the number to the ISPCC. The ISPCC has been successful in securing EU Daphne funding to support the establishment of the line. The ISPCC also submitted an application for funding to the Department of Children and Youth Affairs to cover the establishment and running of the Hotline. This application has been approved for 2012 and 2013. Future applications for running costs will be considered in the context of the annual budget estimates process.

Officials of my Department are liaising with the ISPCC in relation to the implementation of the 116000 Missing Children Hotline. A phased implementation of the 116000 line commenced in December 2012. The service is operating on a pilot basis initially, on a reduced hours basis from 4pm-10am (16hrs), until the end of April, at which time it will move to a full service, on a 24/7 basis, as recommended by the EU. The service will be officially launched in June 2013.

Memoranda of understanding between the ISPCC and the HSE, my Department and the Gardaí, respectively were finalised in advance of the commencement of the pilot in December 2012.

The 116000 Hotline will:

- Provide emotional support to children who are missing, their family and others responsible for the missing child

- Offer guidance and advice to the callers regarding a missing child;

- Report risk cases (where identifying information has been received) to the Gardai/HSE as per Children First Guidance;

- Support the Garda Investigation, where appropriate;

- Redirect calls outside the scope of the line.

It is important to note that the 116000 number is not an emergency number. Emergency calls should always be directed to the 999/112 number in the first instance, where the relevant emergency responses, including the recently launched Garda Missing Children Amber Alert mechanism, may be activated. The establishment of the 116000 line will, however, be of valuable support and assistance to families of missing children and to missing children themselves.