ISPCC hopeful on Childline funding

The ISPCC is “very hopeful” that the Government will intervene to save the Childline 24-hour helpline for children in crisis.

After the Irish Examiner highlighted its appeal for much-needed funds earlier this week, officials from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and Tusla met with the ISPCC yesterday to discuss the funding gap of around €600,000 needed to keep the only dedicated 24-hour helpline for children running.

Speaking after the meeting, ISPCC interim chief executive Caroline O’Sullivan said that while no committment was made towards funding, she was “very hopeful” that the department would assist the charity in keeping the service open.

“We had a very good, very positive, and very open meeting and we are quite hopeful that they will be able to assist us in some way,” said Ms O’Sullivan. “We haven’t had any promises yet, but we are very hopeful. We had a long discussion, for over an hour, and we brought them through the financial difficulties that we are facing.

“We told them that we have had a massive reduction in funding but that hopefully in a number of years we won’t require their help. We are not looking for something for forever but with the recession and the recent charity scandals, the public just don’t have the money.”

A spokesperson for James Reilly, the children’s minister, said that the ISPCC is confident that the current funding shortfall is temporary.

“It was a very good meeting,” said the department spokesperson. “It discussed a range of issues related to the financial difficulties being faced by Childline and the organisation made clear that their strong hope is that the fall in public contributions by way of fundraising this year will not be repeated in future years.

“Childline has made clear that it would appreciate assistance from the government to overcome the current funding problems.”

The department has requested further information from Childline, with Childline and both sides expected to meet again next week.

Mr Reilly was in Brussels and was unable to attend the meeting, but is expected to meet officials with the helpline in the coming days.

Childline’s dilemma was highlighted in recent days by RTÉ broadcaster Ryan Tubridy, who called on Taoiseach Enda Kenny to “man up” and help the charity make up the shortfall. Mr Tubridy is an ambassador for the ISPCC, which oversees the helpline.

“That’s where the Taoiseach needs to come in,” said Mr Tubridy.

“We don’t see too much of him but it’s time to man up, stand up to this thing and put your hand in your pocket at a governmental level and get these people out of a hole so children aren’t spending the next four or five weeks getting an engaged signal at their end of their phone when they’re in trouble. It’s mildly sickening but with any luck it’ll be sorted.”

Mr Tubridy’s comments came after Childline fundraiser Monica Rowe wrote to Mr Kenny earlier this week saying that the charity had been met with “deafening silence” in its call for extra funding.