The main aid agencies have responded positively to a call from former minister for foreign affairs David Andrews for joint charity appeals in cases of major emergencies.
Mr Andrews, who is chairman of the Irish Red Cross, called on organisations fundraising for major emergencies to hold combined appeals similar to those operated by the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) in Britain.
The practice of multiple agencies each conducting their own fundraising campaigns was causing "some confusion" among the public, he said. "When you hear four or five or six agencies appealing for money on the radio in the space of a few hours, that appears to lack efficiency."
Mr Andrews was speaking at a press conference after briefing the Minister of State for development co-operation, Conor Lenihan, on his recent visit to Niger.
The biggest agency, Concern, responded by saying joint appeals were "a good idea in principle" but the detail of any arrangement would have to be worked out. "You would have to be sure it produced a net benefit.However, it is true that the proliferation of agencies is beginning to get irritating for the public," its director, Tom Arnold, said.
Trócaire's Justin Kilcullen said the agency would be "very positive" about setting up joint appeals and would have "no problem" entering a discussion with other agencies about reviving a similar arrangement that operated in the 1980s.
John O'Shea of Goal said the idea was "okay in principle" provided it applied only to agencies operating in the country for which money was being raised. "During the tsunami, I was at a meeting attended by agencies I'd never heard about, let alone seen working on the ground."
In Britain, the DEC raised £300 million after the tsunami, but other appeals have flopped. Members, which include Concern's branch in Britain, agree not to run individual advertising and share the appeal proceeds in proportion to their fundraising abilities. Major media outlets guarantee coverage for DEC appeals.
Mr Andrews also called on the Government to lead efforts to set up a €500 million global fund to tackle food crises as they arise.
"Ireland with its own history of famine and its new-found wealth must encourage the bigger nations to donate funds to this fund so that the threat of hunger and death becomes a distant memory for these vulnerable populations in Africa." In his report to Mr Lenihan, Mr Andrews said there is no famine in Niger, although there is a chronic food shortage which has led to some acute malnutrition.
"There are concentrated pockets of high risk, but there is no evidence of widespread starvation. Children are dying but it is not all due to lack of food - they are dying from diseases caused by lack of clean water or other non-food related illnesses."
Mr Lenihan announced a further €1 million in funding for Niger and neighbouring countries, bringing to €3 million the total allocated to the region in the past month.
