Ireland has sent another 16 tonnes of relief supplies worth €120,000 to the Philippines as part of the Typhoon Haiyan relief effort according to the Minister for Trade and Development Joe Costello. The much needed relief includes water and sanitation supplies to help to prevent the spread of disease in the worst hit areas of the Philippines following the disastrous typhoon that hit the country.

The minister has also confirmed that a further assessment of the immediate need of the victims will be carried out by the members of Ireland’s Rapid Response team who are currently working with the UN agencies as part of the relief effort.

The team are on the ground and are working closely with the World Food Programme, UNICEF and the UN Office for the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs in the devastated nation.  The relief shipment which is expected to arrive later today is from the Irish Aid’s supply stocks in the United Nations Depot in Malaysia. Irelands total aid contribution following this latest shipment currently stands at €3.62 million.