Government aid and Rapid Response Corps staff arrive in Haiti

A Government consignment of more than 80 tonnes of emergency humanitarian supplies has arrived in Haiti, Minister of State for Overseas Development Peter Power confirmed today.

The supplies of blankets, plastic sheeting for temporary shelter, water tanks, tents, mattresses and kitchen sets will be given to Concern and Goal for distribution to more than 8,000 families.

“This consignment, which is one of the largest ever directly supplied by the Government, arrived in the Dominican Republic last night,” said Power.

“A convoy of 16 trucks is currently transporting the aid to Port-au-Prince. It will be distributed by our partners, Concern and Goal, to thousands of families who are so desperately in need of shelter and water.

“In addition to blankets, water and sanitation equipment, tents and kitchen sets, the consignment also includes generators which are crucial to the urgent relief effort.

“This consignment is in addition to the €2m in immediate financial support which the Government has committed to the United Nations and Irish aid agencies working in Haiti.”

He also confirmed that three members of Ireland’s Rapid Response Corps have been deployed to Haiti to assist in the international emergency effort in the wake of this week’s devastating earthquake.

Donal McGrath, an ICT specialist from Dublin and John Jefferies, an ESB Network technician from Cork arrived in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic last night and will travel to Haiti to work with the World Food Programme.

Captain Tim O’Connor, a Defence Forces’ engineer from Cork who is a UN-trained disaster expert, has also been deployed as part of the small Irish Aid technical team assessing the immediate needs of the Haitian people.

“Highly-skilled specialists have a vital role to play in the rescue and recovery effort and the Government would like to pay tribute to these three Corps members whose expertise and commitment will prove invaluable to the international effort,” said Power.

“The consignment of aid supplies and the deployment of key personnel is in addition to the €2m of emergency aid which the Government has pledged to Haiti and the €20m of pre-positioned funding which Irish Aid allocated to the UN Central Emergency Response Fund last year and which is being drawn upon to support the UN response to this terrible tragedy.”

Other members of the Rapid Response Corps are on standby and may be called upon over the coming days and weeks to fill essential positions.