Press Room > Oxfam Ireland Press Release
January 17th 2004
Oxfam calls on Government to make all Tsunami funds new money
Today, Oxfam Ireland called on the Government to ensure that all its funding for the Tsunami emergency comes from new money.
On December 31 st the Government announced that it would spending €10m to respond to the Asian earthquake disaster and that this would be 'brand new' money. On January 12 th the Government announced that it was prepared to make a further allocation of €10m to the tsunami emergency. However, this money is to come from the governments existing humanitarian emergency fund.
'Oxfam would very much welcome an additional €10 million allocated to deal with the effects of the Asian disaster. We're very disappointed however that this money is to come from the existing budget. The government should not rob those suffering in crises in Africa for the sake of the Tsunami victims ' said Dr. Brian Scott, Executive Director of Oxfam Ireland
Oxfam called on the government to follow the lead of countries like Norway, Canada and the Netherlands and ensure that the Tsunami does not affect the funds available to deal with other humanitarian crises such as those in Darfur, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
'The government's humanitarian budget will be desperately needed this year to deal with other crises around the world. The Asia tsunami should not undermine our response to other emergencies' continued Dr. Scott
For further information contact:
Paul Dunphy Oxfam Ireland Press Officer on 01 604706