John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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226. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in relation to the European Wide Missing Children's Hotline 116000, if the proposed move of the missing children's hotline from a pilot basis to a full time 24/7 operational basis will take place as planned in May 2013; if her Department has any plans to make funding available for the national promotion and advertisement of this hotline; if she will make a commitment to have this hotline fully operational here before the end of our Presidency of the European Union; and if she will call on all other Member States to follow our example. [19476/13]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The 116000 Missing Children Hotline is operated by the ISPCC in liaison with a cross-sectoral Project Team, chaired by my Department.

I am delighted to confirm that the phased implementation of the service, which commenced in December 2012, operating on a reduced hours pilot basis, has now become a full-time 24/7 service since Monday the 22nd of April 2013.

In addition I can confirm that:

- The 116000 Missing Children Hotline service will be officially launched in Ireland on the 5th of 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 funding received from both the EU Daphne fund and from my Department includes, in the establishment costs, the national promotion and advertisement of this Hotline service.

I am also pleased to inform the Deputy that, Ireland is co-hosting an EU conference on Missing Children, in Brussels on the 4th of June 2013, at which all EU countries will be encouraged to fully roll out a 24/7 Missing Children Hotline service. A senior official from my Department will be in attendance.

I welcome the fact that the 116000 Missing Children Hotline is already operating in 22 EU Member States and is also available in Serbia.