Government failure to implement the 116 000 Missing Child Number is putting children's lives at risk according to Liam Aylward, Ireland East MEP, who has been campaigning on this issue at the EU level over the past number of years.
The Universal Service Directive requires Member States to make every effort to ensure that citizens have access to a service operating the 116 000 hotline to report cases of missing children.
“The 116 000 Missing Child Hotline is reserved across the EU to report missing children and offer guidance and support to their families. It is a service that hopefully many will not have to use, but should a situation arise it will be invaluable. However, the deadline for the hotline passed in May. It is now fully operational in 19 Member Status but not Ireland,” said Mr Aylward.
The Ireland East MEP has raised his concerns regarding the lack of action in Ireland with the European Commission, which has responded to say it will use all the powers at its disposal to ensure the full implementation of this Directive, including infringement proceedings.
“The Commission has agreed with me that Member States, including Ireland, need to do more. Inaction on this service is unacceptable. For the Commission to be considering taking infringement procedures against Member States who are not complying highlights the importance they are putting on this hotline.
“The Government must stop hiding their head in the sand on this issue and implement the service before children's safety is put further at risk,” he concluded.
