Public asked to dig deeper for Lebanon

The public's response to the humanitarian crisis in south Lebanon has been "very disappointing" a number of aid agencies have said. So far the response has been about 20 per cent of what might have been expected, they said.

The eight agencies made a plea for more public support as Minister of State for Development Conor Lenihan also urged people to contribute more.

Announcing the Government's allocation of an additional €1 million funding for humanitarian relief in Lebanon the Minister said the public may be under the false impression that aid was not getting through.

"There is a capability among the agencies to get the aid to where it's needed. We need the public to be generous. This is an enormous humanitarian crisis."

Thora Mackey, deputy director of Unicef Ireland - which has raised about €46,000 - said there was "to date, 20 per cent of the response we might have expected".

"Perhaps it's because so much of the emphasis has been on the political dimensions of the situation. The Irish are traditionally so generous and I am sure we will get the money. We do need to raise a lot more money."

International programme manager with the Irish Red Cross Noel Wardick said the "public response has been less than we would have expected". The Red Cross here has raised about €65,000.

"It is odd. When you consider that the response to the Java earthquake in May was phenomenal, and that was in the news for two days and then it was gone, whereas the situation in Lebanon is on the news day in, day out, and there just hasn't been the same response. We really would encourage people to fully comprehend that a serious humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Lebanon."

Mary Healy, deputy head of the Trócaire's international department called on Government to be "stronger in its calls for an immediate ceasefire".

Meanwhile, the Defence Forces have raised almost €100,000 for its Lebanese Orphan Fund, along with RTÉ radio.