Ireland's top six banks tonight agreed to waive charges on credit card donations for the Asian disaster appeal.
The move comes on the back of funding of more than half a million euro from major companies and pledges by hundreds of workers to give a cut of their pay to the mammoth relief operation.
Bank of Ireland, Ulster Bank, Allied Irish Bank, National Irish Bank, MBNA and Permanent TSB all agreed in principle to forego the card fees to boost massive contributions made by the public.
The finance houses committed to the move following approaches from the Irish Payment Services Organisations. A payment procedure has yet to be fully ironed out but it is hoped the move will see millions more flood into the relief campaign by the end of the month.
Corporations across the State also moved to match public generosity by pledging thousands to the Indian Ocean relief operations.
Fyffes donated €500,000 to the appeal with the money being shared among the main aid agencies, while insurance firm Quinn-direct gave €100,000 to the Irish Red Cross.
Both companies said management and staff wanted to show they were playing their part, and urged other major firms to contribute to the aid effort.
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions revealed it had written to employers nationwide asking for small deductions from January pay packets.
David Begg, ICTU general secretary, said modest but widespread donations could prove pivotal in efforts to restore livelihoods for hundreds of thousands of people.
PA