Banks waive charges on credit card donations

Ireland’s top six banks tonight agreed to waive charges on credit card donations for the Asian disaster appeal.

The move comes on the back of funding of more than half a million euro from major companies and pledges by hundreds of workers to give a cut of their pay to the mammoth relief operation.

Bank of Ireland, Ulster Bank, Allied Irish Bank, National Irish Bank, MBNA and Permanent TSB all agreed in principle to forego the card fees to boost massive contributions made by the public.

The finance houses committed to the move following approaches from the Irish Payment Services Organisations. A payment procedure has yet to be fully ironed out but it is hoped the move will see millions more flood into the relief campaign by the end of the month.

The Government revealed its €10m aid package was under constant review and could be increased at any stage.

Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern said a dedicated 24-hour counselling service would be up and running from tomorrow for Irish people who survived or were bereaved by the earthquake disaster.

“This has been an appalling tragedy on an unparalleled scale,” Mr Ahern said.

“It is to be expected that those who lived through it, or who tragically lost a loved one, will have been deeply affected by their experiences and some of these people may benefit from professional support in coping with these events.”

Corporations across the State also moved to match public generosity by pledging thousands to the Indian Ocean relief operations.

Fyffes donated €500,000 to the appeal with the money being shared among the main aid agencies, while insurance firm Quinn-direct gave €100,000 to the Irish Red Cross.

Both companies said management and staff wanted to show they were playing their part, and urged other major firms to contribute to the aid effort.

Carl McCann, Fyffes chairman, said: “All of our management and staff have been greatly moved by the enormous tragedy that has affected so many people and the countries in South-east Asia which have borne the brunt of the tsunami.

“Many companies are offering financial support to the relief effort now under way and we wanted to show our support.”

A spokesman for Quinn-direct said more and more Irish companies were responding to calls for financial aid to support the relief effort.

He added that employees across the group had been greatly moved by efforts to supply aid to those affected and called on other companies, who had not yet contributed, to support the relief effort.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions revealed it had written to employers nationwide asking for small deductions from January pay packets.

David Begg, ICTU general secretary, said modest but widespread donations could prove pivotal in efforts to restore livelihoods for hundreds of thousands of people.

“The idea is to ask people for a relatively modest contribution, say for example half an hour’s pay,” Mr Begg said.

“By not raising the bar too high we hope to get a high response. There are 1.8 million people at work in Ireland so the potential is significant.”