The Government has pledged a £400,000 aid package for victims of the El Salvador earthquake. The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Development, Ms Liz O'Donnell, said the move was intended to have an immediate impact by supporting emergency agencies already active on the ground.
"Although the full extent of the earthquake's impact is not yet known, it is clear that we must respond rapidly to the needs of the people of El Salvador," she said.
"The aid announced today will support the search and rescue effort," Ms O'Donnell said. "It will also provide basic shelter, food and medicines to the earthquake's victims."
Half of the Irish package will go to the International Federation of the Red Cross, with the rest being made available for other emergency efforts.
Concern has sent an initial £10,000 worth of emergency supplies to El Salvador and has sent a three-man emergency assessment team to San Salvador, headed by the Concern director in Honduras, Mr Ros O'Sullivan.
Concern and the Agency for Personal Service Overseas have combined to organise a relief convoy, which is expected to leave Tegucigalpa in neighbouring Honduras this morning with blankets, plastic sheeting and cooking sets.
Christian Aid, the development agency linked to the Irish and British churches, is providing an initial £67,600 in emergency grants to help people left homeless and hungry.
Ms Carolyn Williams, head of Christian Aid's Latin America and Caribbean team, said the agency would donate the money to Christian Aid-funded organisations working in and around San Salvador, the worst-affected area.
Goal says it has started distributing non-food items, such as plastic sheeting, jerrycans and blankets to some of the survivors of the earthquake. The effort is being co-ordinated by Mr Darren Hanniffy, the former Offaly All-Ireland hurler, who works as Goal's engineer in neighbouring Honduras.
The agency has allocated $50,000 from its disaster relief fund for the operation, according to Goal's director, Mr John O'Shea.