Frances Fitzgerald TD, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, has today 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.
Minister Fitzgerald stated: "Under EU telecoms rules agreed in 2009, the 116000 number is reserved in all EU member states for a missing children hotline. As Minister I committed to work with relevant Departments and agencies to seek to establish this Hotline in Ireland in 2012.
"Late last year I established a cross-sectoral Project Team, including representatives of my own Department, the Department of Justice and Equality, ComReg and an Garda Síochána to examine how to progress this Hotline, including, if appropriate with NGO involvement.
"During the course of the Project Team’s work, Comreg, who have responsibility for allocation of this number in Ireland, received an application to operate the Hotline from the ISPCC. Following an examination of the issues involved by the Project Team, Comreg yesterday advised my Department that they have allocated the 116000 number to the ISPCC. This is an important step in securing the provision of the Missing Children Hotline in Ireland.
Minister Fitzgerald added: "I wish to commend the commitment and interest shown by the ISPCC in seeking to progress provision of this Hotline.
"The Project Team will now work to ensure that the 116000 Hotline becomes operational as soon as possible and operates in a way that supports and augments existing arrangements to secure child protection.
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Notes
· The EU Universal Service Directive requires Member States to "make every effort to ensure that citizens have access to a service operating a hotline to report cases of missing children. The hotline shall be available on the number 116 000." The same Directive also requires Member States to "ensure that citizens are adequately informed of the existence and use of services provided under the 116 numbering range, in particular through initiatives specifically targeting persons travelling between Member States."
· The Hotline service will operate on two levels
The reporting of a missing child to the relevant authorities - the Gardai
The provision of emotional support to parents of missing children.
· The purpose of the number range is to ensure that the citizens of the member states, including those who are travelling and disabled users, should be able to reach certain services that have a social value by using the same recognisable numbers in all member states.
· The Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources is responsible for the process of transposing this Directive into national law to give effect to the directive.
· The allocation of specific numbers in the 116 number range in Ireland is managed by the Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg.
· Currently
§ 116111 is assigned to Childline
§ 116123 is assigned to The Samaritans
§ 116006 was assigned to the Crime Victims Helpline
§ 116000 was assigned to missing children