State gives €1m and supplies to relief effort

IRISH AID:THE GOVERNMENT has approved a €1 million contribution to the Red Cross relief operation in Japan.

The donation is to be given along with emergency supplies from Ireland, including blankets, mattresses and water and sanitation equipment, which are currently stockpiled in Malaysia and Dubai.

The move is part of a wider EU effort, and follows an appeal on Tuesday by the Japanese government for European assistance in responding to the earthquake and tsunami disaster.

Tokyo asked the EU not to send additional emergency or medical personnel but to provide funding for Red Cross and emergency supplies. By yesterday the Japanese Red Cross had deployed 84 mobile medical teams with 735 staff members to the affected areas.

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore said the Japanese were facing three crises in one: “the earthquake, tsunami and the ongoing nuclear emergency”.

The Tánaiste, who earlier this week said the Japanese were among the best prepared in the world for dealing with such disasters, said the country’s response capability had nevertheless been “stretched to the limit”. He said the “sheer scale of the emergency” had led to the appeal for help.

“Under these circumstances the Government has agreed to provide €1 million, which will be targeted at providing relief for people left injured or homeless by the disaster,” he said.

The Irish Embassy in Tokyo has accounted for all Irish citizens known to be in the affected areas and is in contact with many of them through e-mails and its website.

Irish Aid is run by the Department of Foreign Affairs and maintains stockpiles of emergency relief equipment at a number of locations in vulnerable regions.