Government raises tsunami aid to E20m

THE Government has doubled the amount of aid pledged to those affected by the Asian tsunami to E20 million, Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern said yesterday.

Mr Ahern made the announcement at the end of a three country visit to the region hit hardest by the disaster.

Mr Ahern said he was donating an extra 10m from his department's Emergency Humanitarian Fund after seeing the devastation at first hand.

"The Government made a special allocation of 10m in response to the disaster," he said.

"In addition to this, the Irish public as we knew they would have shown extraordinary generosity.

"The first tranches of Government money are already going to assist organisations including the Red Cross, Concern, GOAL and Trocaire to enable them to respond quickly to the immediate needs of the people in the aftermath of the tsunami.

"Having witnessed the devastation at first hand, it is clear that there is an enormous challenge of recovery and reconstruction over the coming years.

"I believe that Ireland must be fully engaged in this effort, as we have been in other parts of the world. I am prepared to allocate a further E10m from my Department's Emergency Humanitarian Fund, bringing the total funding available from the Exchequer for the tsunami disaster to E20m.

"There will be particular emphasis on the operations of the organisations whose representatives accompanied me and my officials. I will immediately enter into discussions with them as to their priorities," he added.

A number of specialised Irish troops are also likely to be deployed in the area in the near future.

Mr Ahern said he had written to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan offering the services of skilled personnel for military/logistical support.

He said a number of gaps have been identified by the UN, and Ireland has agreed to provide a number of personnel in the areas of transport logistics and engineering.