UNCLAS DUBLIN 001848

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR TASK FORCE TFX001

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID PREL AEMR CASC
SUBJECT: TFX001: ASIAN TSUNAMI: IRELAND INFORMATION

REF: STATE 274365


1. Two Irish citizens are presumed dead in Thailand (Phuket
and Phi Phi), and roughly 50 Irish who were believed to be in
the areas affected by the December 26 Asian tsunami are
unaccounted for, according to Thomas Brady, Department of
Foreign Affairs (DFA) Principal Officer for Consular
Operations. On December 29, Brady told Post that Irish
efforts were focused on Thailand, the most popular Irish
tourist destination among the locations struck by the
tsunami. Brady said that the DFA was making steady progress

SIPDIS
identifying Irish survivors of the disaster, but that
communications difficulties and limited consular registers at
the few Irish embassies in the region were hampering DFA
efforts. Irish Ambassador to Malaysia, Dan Mulhall, who has
responsibility for Thailand, is now in Phuket and has
confirmed that local hospitals treated 15 Irish citizens for
injuries. The Irish Deputy Chief of Mission in New Delhi,
Pat Byrne, has arrived on Sri Lanka's coast, where about 20
Irish citizens remain unaccounted for. Brady noted that DFA
hot lines had received roughly 1,000 calls from persons
seeking information on Irish citizens, although in most cases
the callers could not confirm that the citizens in question
had been in the affected areas. He added that the GOI had
not made special provisions with airlines to transport Irish
citizens home.


2. The GOI has pledged euro 2 million to relief efforts,
noted Brady. The Development Corporation Ireland (DCI), the
aid agency within the DFA, will channel these funds
principally to the international Red Cross. The Irish Red
Cross and Trocaire, a development assistance NGO established
by the Irish Catholic Church, have each pledged euro 100,000
for emergency aid. Trocaire said it would direct its
contributions to sister organizations in India and Sri Lanka.
Unicef Ireland has also pledged euro 150,000. The Church of
Ireland and the Irish Catholic Church intend to take up
special donations for disaster areas during January 9
services.
BENTON