State funds trip to tsunami memorial for families

THE Government is to pay for relatives of the four Irish victims of the south-east Asia tsunami to attend a remembrance service in Thailand.

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dermot Ahern, said €20,000 had been made available to enable families to travel to the St Stephen’s Day memorial.

“The Irish Government, in a small way, is happy to provide funding to the families of the young people who lost their lives in Thailand. I am deeply conscious that this will be a very difficult and sad occasion for the families,” the minister said.

To mark the first anniversary of the tragedy, the Thai government invited one member from each family of the four Irish people who died to travel to the service.

But the minister stepped in with the funding to ensure two members of each family could attend.

Eilis Finnegan, 27, from Ballyfermot, Dublin, a team leader with United Airlines was identified on January 3.

Lucy Coyle, 29, from Glenageary, Co Dublin, an accountant in London was identified almost three months after the disaster.

Michael Murphy, a 24-year-old nautical studies graduate from Blackwater, Co Wexford, was only identified in May.

And Conor Keightley, 30, Cookstown, Co Tyrone, had been on holiday in the resort of Krabi where the tsunami struck.

In total, the Government has provided €20 million to help in south-east Asia. Private donations are thought to have topped €40m.

It is understood Mr Ahern is planning to visit the area in the New Year to see how the money is being spent.