The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Ahern, has pledged to double financial aid for the tsunami crisis bringing total Government funding to €20 million.
He has also raised the prospect of Irish troops going to the hardest hit areas following the disaster. Mr Ahern today ended a three-country visit to the Indian ocean.
In a statement issued this afternoon, Mr Ahern said he was prepared to allocate a further €10 m from the Emergency Humanitarian Fund. "The money has been committed and it's just a question of where it's going", a department spokeswoman said.
Mr Ahern paid tribute to Irish people for showing "extraordinary generosity" . He said the further €10 million would enable relief agencies to respond quickly to the immediate needs of the people in the aftermath of the tsunami.
"Having witnessed the devastation at first hand it is clear that there is an enormous challenge of recovery and reconstruction over the coming years. I believe that Ireland must be fully engaged in this effort, as we have been in other parts of the world," he said.
He said he has been in contact with the Minister for Defence, Mr O'Dea, in relation to sending Irish troops to the regions hardest hit by the tsunami. the department confirmed this evening that four experts in transport logistics and engineering will depart for Asia early next week.