Government aid consignment and Rapid Response Corps members arrive in Haiti

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Department of Foreign Affairs                Press Release

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Government aid consignment and Rapid Response Corps members arrive in Haiti

The Government’s consignment of more than 80 tonnes of emergency humanitarian supplies has arrived in Haiti, Minister of State for Overseas Development Peter Power confirmed today.

The supplies of blankets, plastic sheeting for temporary shelter, water tanks, tents, mattresses and kitchen sets will be given to Concern and Goal for distribution to more than 8,000 families.

Commenting on the consignment, Minister Power said:

“This consignment, which is one of the largest ever directly supplied by the Government, arrived in the Dominican Republic last night (Jan 19). A convoy of 16 trucks is currently transporting the aid to Port-au-Prince.  It will be distributed by our partners, Concern and Goal, to thousands of families who are so desperately in need of shelter and water.

In addition to blankets, water and sanitation equipment, tents and kitchen sets, the consignment also includes generators which are crucial to the urgent relief effort.

This consignment is in addition to the €2 million in immediate financial support which the Government has committed to the United Nations and Irish aid agencies working in Haiti,” Minister Power said.

He also confirmed that three members of Ireland’s Rapid Response Corps have been deployed to Haiti to assist in the international emergency effort in the wake of this week’s devastating earthquake.

Donal McGrath, an ICT specialist from Dublin and John Jefferies, an ESB Network technician from Cork arrived in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic last night (19 January) and will travel to Haiti to work with the World Food Programme.

Captain Tim O’Connor, a Defence Forces’ engineer from Cork who is a UN-trained disaster expert, has also been deployed as part of the small Irish Aid technical team assessing the immediate needs of the Haitian people.

“Highly-skilled specialists have a vital role to play in the rescue and recovery effort and the Government would like to pay tribute to these three Corps members whose expertise and commitment will prove invaluable to the international effort,” Minister Power said.

“The consignment of aid supplies and the deployment of key personnel is in addition to the €2 million of emergency aid which the Government has pledged to Haiti and the €20 million of pre-positioned funding which Irish Aid allocated to the UN Central Emergency Response Fund last year and which is being drawn upon to support the UN response to this terrible tragedy,” he said.

Other members of the Rapid Response Corps are on standby and may be called upon over the coming days and weeks to fill essential positions.

Rapid Response Corps members

John Jefferies, Ballinhassig, Co Cork (photo attached)

An ESB Network Technician from Cork, John previously worked in Azerbaijan as an international observer during the country’s elections and also has worked with Concern.

He has three children Eoin, Aideen and Cian. His first development assignment was with Concern in Burundi, setting up IT infrastructure. He has also worked in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Tanzania. He has also travelled to Azerbaijan at the request of the Department of Foreign Affairs to work as an election observer.

In Haiti, Mr Jefferies will be responsible for the provision of electrical services for the WFP's emergency operations. His tasks will include the installation and maintenance of electricity wiring and distribution systems for all WFP offices and warehouses in the emergency zone.

Speaking about his interest in development work, Mr Jefferies said;

"It's nice to do something different and I really enjoy meeting people from all over the world. It's very rewarding being so hands-on in helping people. And the one thing I’ve learned is that people are all basically the same. We all want a decent standard of living, a better life for our children and something to look forward to.”

Donal McGrath (photo attached),

An ICT specialist, originally from Dublin, Mr McGrath lives in Greystones, Co Wicklow. He previously deployed with the Rapid Response Corps to work with the World Food Programme in Tanzania for three months in 2008. He has worked in ICT in Teagasc and with a number of Government Departments, including the Department of Justice. 

Speaking ahead of his deployment, he said:

“My role in overseas development work is quite recent and dates from my participation in Irish Aid's Rapid Response Corps. Unlike some members of the Corps, who have prior experience with NGOs, my first involvement was when I joined the first RRC cohort in 2007. I have since attended two courses with the World Food Programme and also worked with the WFP in Tanzania for three months in 2008.

My contribution to the disaster relief work in Haiti will again be in ICT rather than directly with the victims of this tragedy. However information flows and the delivery of medical & food supplies now rely on ICT and I hope to make my contribution there.”

Captain Tim O'Connor

Captain Tim O'Connor is an army engineer from the Defence Forces’ Engineering Corps. He is from Kilbrittain, Co Cork and is stationed at the Naval Base in Cork. He has previously served overseas with UNMIL in Liberia and EUFOR in Bosnia and Herzogovina. Capt O’Connor is part of the Irish Aid technical team who are assessing the immediate needs of the Haitian people.  

Note for Editors

Irish Aid maintains the Rapid Response Corps, a register of highly-skilled individuals who are willing to be deployed at short notice to assist in an emergency relief effort. To date there have been 65 deployments to over 20 countries including Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, DRC, Zimbabwe, Colombia and now Haiti.

Ireland's contributed €20 million to the United Nation's Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) in 2009 and a total of €73 million since it was set up in 2006 following the Asian Tsunami. The CERF provides immediately-accessible funds to the UN for use in a crisis such as that in Haiti. Ireland is the seventh largest donor to this fund.

In addition, Ireland is providing €2 million which is being channelled directly through Irish NGOs, UN humanitarian agencies and the Red Cross.

For further information, please contact Fionnuala Quinlan, press officer, Irish Aid, the Department of Foreign Affairs on 01-4082653 or 087-9099975. For further information on the Government’s overseas aid programme, visit www.dfa.ie and www.irishaid.gov.ie

Ends+++

20 January 2010

Press Office