The European Commission will today call on Ireland to remember its missing children.
It is International Missing Children's Day today, and commission vice president Franco Frattini will say that 58 Irish children are officially listed as missing.
To date, 3,568 disappearances have been recorded in the database kept by the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children.
Mr Frattini will say: "The protection and promotion of children's rights is a key concern in the European Commission's work. We are faced with a major social problem which nearly every day breeds tragedy and suffering."
The vice president will outline commission funding for several programmes to tackle violence against children, trafficking and sexual tourism, and improper use of the Internet to distribute child pornography.
International Missing Children's Day aims to raise international awareness and spread a message of hope and support to distraught parents. The commission has adopted the forget-me-not flower as a symbol for the children.
Missing Childen's Day is organised by the European Federation for Missing and Sexually Exploited Children.
For more information on missing children, see the Irish missing children's website: www.missingkids.ie
PA