Missing children freephone hotline still not in place

IRELAND was one of a minority of EU countries that did not have a freephone hotline for missing children in place by yesterday’s deadline.

The ISPCC has said it would be willing to provide the 24/7 service but it cannot afford the €80,000 a year it would cost and they have asked the government to help.

The hotline with the same 116 000 number which can be dialled anywhere in the EU from any member state that provides it, is designed to immediately alert the authorities when a child goes missing.