Five officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs have flown to New York to assist the Irish Consulate in helping Irish families searching for loved ones missing since last Tuesday’s terrorist attacks.
"They are going over to strengthen the consulate, which has 15 people working on a 24-hour basis," a department spokesman said.
"We can anticipate as this develops and flights start taking off there will be relatives of the missing and bereaved arriving in New York and this is really to look after them."
The spokesman said the number of missing Irish people had been reduced to 100 from the original estimate of 1,300.
The Department has warned the death toll may rise to double figures.
Hopes are fading for many others who have not been heard of since disaster struck. The Department also asked concerned people to notify them when word was heard from missing friends and family in New York.
"We are still anxious for anyone who may have notified us of concerns for somebody and have since got word they are safe to let us know," the spokesman said.
Three Irish people have been confirmed dead so far by the Department, as well as Father Mychal Judge, the Irish-American chaplain of the New York Fire Department.
The three Irish fatalities were all on the United Airlines flight which crashed into the south tower of the World Trade Centre.
They were named as Ms Ruth Clifford McCourt (44) and her daughter Juliana (4), from Cork, and Mr Paddy Currivan (52), an engineer from Dublin.
Father Judge (68), was killed by a piece of falling masonry from the towers while giving the last rites to a firefighter.
Among those still missing are stockbroker Ms Ann Marie McHugh (35) from Tuam, Co Galway, who worked on the 89th floor of the south tower.
Also missing are construction workers Mr Kieran Gorman (35), from Carrowcurragh, Lavagh, Co Sligo; Mr Martin Coughlan (53), from Cappawhite, Tipperary; and Mr Seán Canavan (39) from Co Tyrone.
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