Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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594. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide a detailed update on the roll out of the 116000 missing children hotline; when this hotline will be fully operational; the publicity strategy in place to publicise this facility; if she will give a commitment to future funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23785/13]

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.

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.

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:

- 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.

- The 116000 Missing Children Hotline service will be officially launched in Ireland on the 5th of June 2013.

The promotion of the Hotline has been ongoing since the service opened in 2012. There have been numerous press releases issued by the DCYA and the ISPCC, the 116 000 Missing Children Hotline has been covered in the print (9 articles) and broadcast (6 radio stations) media since opening in May 2012. There has also been an on- going website and social media presence utilising ISPCC, Facebook and Twitter to highlight the service as well as information on missing children.

ISPCC staff and volunteers have worked to disseminate posters in local areas and posters have been distributed nationally by the Gardaí.

The Missing Children Hotline will be officially launched on the 5th of June 2013. Following this launch the awareness campaign for the service will be escalated nationally.