Missing woman’s brother upset at hotline setback

A SOUTHSIDER who has campaigned tirelessly for the establishment of a national missing children’s hotline has criticised the Government for failing to commit to funding the new service beyond the end of this month.

The Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC) announced recently that the 116000 Missing Children’s Hotline became operational on a pilot basis on Tuesday, December 11.

Tom Brown, from Dundrum, has dedicated his life to campaigning for a missing person’s hotline since his sister Ellen Cross vanished without trace in November 1999.

He has also repeatedly called for the establishment of a hotline to help trace missing children in Ireland since the EU indicated in February 2007 that it supported the establishment of such a hotline in all individual member states.

In a recent response to a parliamentary question from Deputy Caoimhghín � Caoláin (SF), Minister for Children, Frances Fitzgerald, confirmed that the hotline service would initially operate between the hours of 10pm and 4pm, seven days a week.

She said the service would become operational on a 24-hour basis by February 2013.

However, the minister did not commit to funding the hotline beyond the end of 2012.

She said her department had approved running costs for the hotline for this year but added that running costs for 2013 and subsequent years would be considered in the context of the annual budget estimates process and in the context of the service needs.

Mr Brown has welcomed the establishment of the hotline, but slammed the Government for not committing to funding the service beyond the end of this year.

“If, in the future, the service is no longer there due to cuts, that would make a mockery of the protection of children,

? he said.

Mr Brown believes the Government has shifted the onus for the operation of the hotline onto the ISPCC. He said he hopes the charity will not be expected to finance the hotline out of its own resources if the Government eventually stops funding.

In February, the communications regulator, Comreg, granted a licence to the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC) to operate the hotline and the charity has since secured

?¬140,000 from the EU to set up the service.

The hotline will act as a 24-hour emergency service to support missing children, their parents and professionals.

A spokesperson for the ISPCC said the Government had guaranteed funding for the service for 2012 only. It is now expected that the service will become fully operational in March 2013.

The spokesperson added that the ISPCC would continue to look towards the Government for financial support to maintain the service in the coming years.

A spokesperson at the Department of Children and Youth Affairs referred Southside People to Minister Fitzgerald’s reply to the parliamentary question submitted by Deputy O’Caoláin.

Minister Fitzgerald said:

“Officials from my department are liaising with the ISPCC in relation to the establishment of the 116000 hotline. This includes finalising memoranda of understanding between the ISPCC and key partners, namely the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, the HSE and the gardai.

“As this is a new project it will also be important to keep under review all aspects of the operation of the hotline over the coming year. The information collected over this initial period will inform future developments in this regard.

?