Reaction: The Government yesterday pledged up to €1 million to fund relief efforts in the aftermath of the tidal waves and subsequent flooding which has killed thousands of people in southern Asia.
In making the pledge, the Minister of State for Development Co-operation and Human Rights, Mr Conor Lenihan said: "Like most people watching the scenes of devastation all across south Asia on television, I am deeply shocked at the after effects of this freak tidal wave.
"The tragedy is still unfolding and the number of those who have perished is likely to rise as more information becomes available, and many others have had their homes and livelihoods destroyed."
The initial pledge is aimed at assisting the provision of immediate assistance by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working in the area in the form of shelter, food, water and sanitation services.
Irish assistance will be delivered through the international Red Cross organisation with which Ireland has a strong emergency assistance partnership, and which is already working on the ground.
Yesterday the Irish Red Cross launched its appeal to assist the victims of the disaster and said it was sending €100,000 as an immediate step to help get emergency measures started.
The chairman of the Irish Red Cross, Mr David Andrews, said it was essential that emergency specialists responded immediately to the disaster.
"This was a lethal combination of an earthquake, centred near northern Indonesia and triggering a series of immense tidal waves in the region.
"I'm deeply concerned that the magnitude of this disaster may mean that human suffering will be very widespread indeed.
"The priority now is to ascertain exactly where help is needed most and get it there as quickly as we can," he said.
Concern, the Republic's largest charitable organisation, said that it had up to €1 million available for emergency relief if it was required, but said a decision on the level of assistance would only be made once initial assessments of the situation were made.
A spokesman for Concern said: "Our teams already operating in the countries are making their way as we speak to assess the needs on the ground. Once that assessment is made we will then set our plan into operation."
The Catholic development agency, Trócaire, announced a donation of €100,000 to its Caritas partners in India and Sri Lanka for the victims.
Trócaire's emergency co-ordinator, Ms Mary Healy, said: "Our local Caritas partners in India and Sri Lanka are making an assessment of the situation so they can make sure the needs of the millions of homeless are met in the long term.
"It is vital, however, that the emergency relief which is being distributed continues as there are still hundreds of thousands of people who are in dire need of temporary shelter, food and clothing."
Sri Lankan government officials said there were more than one million people, or around 5 per cent of the Sri Lankan population, who had been affected by the ensuing floods - which came just a fortnight after severe monsoon flooding damaged crops and homes.