Irish Government Announces Further £500,000 of Aid to Turkey
Following the statement by the Minister of State, Liz O'Donnell, TD, that Ireland would respond positively to further requests for assistance, the Government is to provide £500,000 to the Turkish aid effort. A significant proportion of this will be used to purchase medical supplies requested by the Turkish Government, including emergency antibiotics, suturing equipment, surgical kits, and other drugs.
In the immediate aftermath of the earthquake, the initial emphasis has been on searching and rescuing those trapped in the rubble of destroyed buildings. The international response has involved sending more than 60 highly trained Search and Rescue teams to the disaster sites. EU countries have sent over 1,000 specialists to this international operation which is coordinated by the UN. The EU has made an initial grant of $2 million to Turkey.
In addition to the search and rescue operations, the needs of the thousands of wounded and homeless must be met. Ireland is coordinating its response with other countries through the UN and the EU and has concentrated its assistance on meeting these priority needs. An initial grant of £200,000 was made to the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent to enable them to purchase essential supplies such as food, water and any available medicines locally.
The Government is in constant contact with the Turkish Government and the international aid community and is ready to further respond as the situation develops.
