Minister of State for Overseas Development, Mr Peter Power, T.D., announces second consignment of emergency aid for Haiti

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Minister of State for Overseas Development Peter Power announces second consignment of emergency aid for Haiti

Minister of State for Overseas Development, Mr Peter Power, T.D., today announced a second consignment of 40 tonnes of essential humanitarian supplies for Haiti.

The aid, which is supplied by the Government and will be distributed by aid agencies on the ground, includes plastic sheeting and tents for shelter; water containers and sanitation equipment.

The Minister made the announcement after today's meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Brussels. Speaking after the meeting, he said:

“It is clear that the humanitarian situation in Haiti remains extremely grave. My colleagues and I were briefed today by Comissioner de Gucht who has just returned from Haiti and the High Representative who was in North America last week consulting the US, the UN and the World Bank on Haiti.  

In addition, the Irish Aid technical team, whom I tasked with assessing the immediate and medium-term needs of the Haitian people, left Port-au-Prince last night after five days on the ground.

They will report to me in detail over the coming days, but it clear that there is an urgent need for emergency shelter and water supplies as the rainy season approaches in just six weeks. Based on the team's initial assessment of the emergency situation in Haiti, I decided today to order a second shipment of supplies from our international stockpiles.

Last week, Concern and Goal distributed more than 80 tonnes of aid supplied by the Irish Government. The shipment that I authorised today will bring the total aid supplied by the IGovernment to more than 120 tonnes, enough to provide shelter, clean water and the basic infrastructure for survival to12,000 families.

I also tasked the Irish Aid team who spent the last week in Haiti with examining the medium to long-term needs of the Haitian people and their reports will feed into Ireland's ongoing assistance to the country.”

Minister Power added:

“The total value of the Irish Government response, both financially and in kind, is well over €3 million and there is every possibility that this figure will increase further once we have a clearer and more comprehensive picture of Haiti’s needs.

In addition, three members of the Irish Aid Rapid Response Corps have deployed to Haiti and other Corps members with specialised skills in engineering, logistics and water and sanitation are expected to be called upon in the coming days and weeks,” Minister Power said.

Note for the Editor:

·        Minister of State for Overseas Development Peter Power attended the meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Brussels today.

·        Ireland is providing €2 million in direct funding which is being channelled directly through Irish NGOs, UN humanitarian agencies and the Red Cross. In addition, a Government-supplied consignment of 80 tonnes of emergency humanitarian aid arrived in Port-au-Prince last week and is being distributed by Concern and Goal. The second shipment of 40 tonnes announced today contains emergency shelter and water and sanitation supplies.

·        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.

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

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25 January 2010

Press Office