Member of Ireland’s Rapid Response Corps to assist the humanitarian effort in Georgia

Minister of State for Overseas Development, Peter Power T.D., has confirmed that a member of Ireland’s Rapid Response Corps, Mr. Anthony Taylor, will deploy today to Georgia to assist in the provision of humanitarian assistance to those affected by the conflict.  Mr. Taylor will work as a Logistics Officer with UNICEF. 
Announcing the deployment, Minster Power said:

“I represented Ireland at an emergency meeting of EU Foreign Ministers last week in Brussels convened to discuss the situation in Georgia. At that meeting I informed our EU partners that Ireland stood ready to help with both financial aid and trained personnel to help deal with the devastating impact recent events have caused on the civilian population of the area, with many tens of thousands displaced from their homes.  I am very pleased that a member of Ireland’s Rapid Response Corps will contribute to the relief effort.  I spoke to Anthony this morning to wish him well in his important assignment. 

I would urge all parties to the conflict in Georgia to fulfil their agreed commitments under the six point plan prepared by the EU Presidency. It is particularly important at this time that access for humanitarian workers and supplies is facilitated to all conflict affected areas without delay.” 

Note to Editors:
The deployment of Anthony Taylor from the Rapid Response Corps represents an important element of Irish Aid’s response to the humanitarian crisis in Georgia.  Funding of €100,000 is also being provided to assist the relief effort of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). This is in addition to €500,000 already committed by Irish Aid to Georgia for 2008.

The Rapid Response Corps is a roster of skilled and experienced volunteers who are available to deploy anywhere in the world at short notice to work with Ireland’s key humanitarian partners as part of their emergency response efforts.  Mr. Taylor is the 23rd member of Ireland’s Rapid Response Corps to be deployed; other countries in which members of the Corps have worked during 2008 include Ethiopia, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Zimbabwe. 

Mr. Taylor has very considerable experience in the coordination of logistics for humanitarian operations.  He has previously worked in a range of humanitarian emergency situations, including in the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Lebanon, Pakistan following the 2005 earthquake and Indonesia following the 2004 tsunami.

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Press Office
20 August 2008