US embassy cable - 05DUBLIN4

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DUBLIN 000004 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR TASK FORCE TFX001 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/05/2015 
TAGS: EAID, PREL, AEMR, CASC 
SUBJECT: ASIAN TSUNAMI: UPDATE ON IRISH RESPONSE 
 
REF: A. DUBLIN 1848 
     B. STATE 959 
     C. BENTON-TASK FORCE TFX001 E-MAIL OF 1/4/05 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Jonathan Benton; Reasons 1.4 (B) and ( 
D). 
 
1.  (C) Summary: Four Irish citizens are presumed dead as a 
result of the December 26 Asian tsunami, and the Irish 
Government is focused on 15 other missing persons, most of 
whom had been in Thailand.  The Government has increased its 
assistance pledge for stricken areas from euro 2 million to 
euro 10 million, partly due to pressure from Irish NGOs, 
which have raised euro 8.5 million.  Irish relief efforts 
continue to be constrained by the limited number of Irish 
Embassy personnel available in the region, although there are 
no plans to send additional government staff.  The Irish 
Department of Defense has formed a group to consider 
possible, limited troop deployments to affected areas and has 
asked Post for operational planning information regarding 
possible cooperation with U.S. forces already deployed.  End 
summary. 
 
2.  (U) Four Irish citizens who were vacationing in Thailand 
at the time of the December 26 Asian tsunami are presumed, 
though not confirmed, dead, according to Thomas Brady, 
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Principal Officer for 
Consular Operations, who spoke with Post on January 4 to 
update information he provided December 29 (ref A).  The DFA 
has categorized as "urgent cases" 15 other missing citizens 
who were known to be in the areas struck by the tsunami. 
There are an additional 55 "low-risk cases" involving persons 
who were believed to be in the countries affected, but whose 
family members have not contacted the DFA.  Brady noted that 
Ireland planned to send two forensics experts from the 
National Police (Garda) to the region in the coming days to 
assist with the identification of remains.  The Garda and DFA 
have also offered to take DNA samples from family members of 
missing citizens to check against recovered bodies in 
Thailand, where Irish efforts are principally focused.  Brady 
added that Irish Ambassador to Malaysia, Dan Mulhall, who has 
responsibility for Thailand, had already consulted with USG 
and Israeli Government personnel in Phuket regarding missing 
Irish citizens. 
 
3.  (U) In response to ref B demarche, Brady noted that the 
Irish Government had increased its pledge for relief efforts 
from euro 2 million to euro 10 million.  The original euro 2 
million has already been allocated to the international Red 
Cross, and Prime Minister (Taoiseach) Bertie Ahern is 
scheduled to meet with leading Irish aid NGOs on January 4 to 
discuss coordination on the disbursement of the additional 
euro 8 million.  These NGOs, which have so far raised euro 
8.5 million, include: GOAL (euro 1 million); UNICEF Ireland 
(euro 750,000); Concern (euro 1.6 million); Trocaire, the 
Irish Catholic Church development organization (euro 1.8 
million); and, Oxfam Ireland (euro 500,000).  Several of 
these organizations have begun to send personnel to 
tsunami-affected areas.  On January 3, 2,000 people took part 
 
SIPDIS 
in a charity walk in Dublin sponsored by GOAL, which raised 
euro 45,000. 
 
4.  (U) The Irish Government continues to be constrained in 
its relief efforts by communications difficulties and by the 
limited number of Irish Embassy personnel available in the 
region, although there are currently no plans to send 
additional government staff, according to Niall Brady, DFA 
First Secretary for Asian Affairs.  Brady told Post that the 
GOI was relying on the seven (total) diplomats stationed at 
the Irish Embassies in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and New Delhi 
to manage Ireland's consular caseload in Indonesia, Thailand, 
and Sri Lanka, respectively.  A Dublin-based DFA official who 
was vacationing in Thailand at the time has also stayed on in 
Phuket to assist.  Brady mentioned that Prime Minister Ahern 
is scheduled to visit China in late January and may add one 
of the affected Asian countries to his itinerary.  Brady 
added that Ahern was planning to take a holiday the week of 
January 10, which would give impetus to finalizing Ireland's 
short-term assistance plans this week. 
 
5.  (C) On January 4, the Irish Department of Defense 
notified Embassy's DAO that it had formed a planning group to 
consider possible, limited Irish troop deployments to 
tsunami-affected areas (ref C).  The Department of Defense 
 
SIPDIS 
requested risk assessments, situation updates, and other data 
regarding possible areas of cooperation with U.S. military 
forces already deployed.  The Irish Defense Department 
reported that Prime Minister Ahern would consult with his 
Cabinet on January 5 about the possibility of committing 
Irish troops.  (The Irish Government has capped at 850 the 
number of troops that can be deployed to overseas missions, 
and currently there are roughly 750 troops so deployed.  On 
December 31, Irish Defense Minister Willie O'Dea told the 
press that the Government was prepared to exceed the 850 
limit to meet the needs of tsunami-stricken countries.) 
 
6.  (U) Comment: Generally, the Irish public appears to be 
satisfied with the Irish Government's response to the 
disaster, although NGO pressures certainly accounted for the 
Government's decision to increase its assistance pledge to 
euro 10 million.  Representatives of opposition parties have 
used the tsunami aid issue to highlight the fact that the 
Government is only contributing 0.45 percent of GNP to 
official development assistance, well short of Ireland's 
Millennium commitment of 0.7 percent. 
BENTON