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Children & Youth Affairs Minister Frances Fitzgerald today welcomed the allocation of €150,000 by the EU Daphne Programme to the ISPCC for the set-up and initial operation of the 116000 Missing Children’s Hotline in Ireland, as supported by a Project Team established by Minister Fitzgerald.

Under EU telecoms rules agreed in 2009, the 116000 number is reserved in all EU member states for a missing children hotline.

On the 1st of February 2012 Frances Fitzgerald TD, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, confirmed that a licence to operate the 116000 Hotline for Missing Children has been allocated to the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC).  Comreg, allocated the 116000 number to the ISPCC following an examination of the issues involved in conjunction with the Project Team.

Minister Fitzgerald  stated 

I am delighted with the progress being made towards establishing the 116000 Missing Children’s Hotline in Ireland. The allocation of EU funding to the ISPCC is another very welcome step in this process and is very timely given that this Friday (May 25th) is International Missing Children’s Day.

The Minister advised that work will continue over coming months with the support of the Project Team, to get the hotline up-and-running.