Govt pledges €250,000 to Grenada recovery

The Government today pledged a further €250,000 assistance to the Caribbean island of Grenada in the wake of devastating hurricanes which wreaked havoc in the region.

Substantial damage was caused to the island in September and October, particularly by Hurricane Ivan which destroyed around 80% of all buildings. Over half the population of 90,000 was made homeless and 39 people were killed.

Conor Lenihan, Development Minister, said: “While the emergency has now passed, there are great development needs in terms of rehabilitation of infrastructure, including schools, health clinics and housing.

“This new aid will be focused on the long term development needs of the island and its people.”

Irish assistance to the island will be delivered through NGOs, the Red Cross, UN agencies and through Irish missionaries via the Missionary Development Fund.

Emergency assistance amounting to €250,000 was committed to Grenada in the emergency phase and Mr Lenihan hopes the new funding will help the island in moving from recovery to more long-term development.

Total Irish development and emergency funding has amounted to over €2m in Grenada, Haiti and Jamaica this year.