The establishment by the Government of a Rapid Response Corps for international emergencies will not undermine the work of existing Irish relief agencies, according to Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern.
At the launch of the initiative at Government Buildings yesterday, the Minister said the corps would be "very small" and consist of "50 or so people".
This would not affect recruitment by the Irish non-governmental organisations (NGO) sector. "I don't think they will in any way impinge on the NGOs' capability of getting other people," Mr Ahern said.
In addition, the Government would shortly be opening a "one-stop shop" on O'Connell Street, Dublin, to cater for people who were interested in voluntary humanitarian and development work overseas by putting them in touch with aid agencies.
There were similar assurances from the Minister of State for Development Co-operation and Human Rights, Conor Lenihan, who said: "We won't be taking people away from the NGOs."
He added that the NGOs typically needed full-time volunteers who would work on a long-term basis. However the Rapid Response Corps would consist of "people who will be available for three months of the year".
In addition, the services of Rapid Response Corps members would be available to the NGOs.
"I would emphasise that this roster will be available to the NGOs as well, so it's not the case that they will not be able to benefit from this particular initiative," Mr Lenihan said. "We don't see it as one being in competition with the other."
However, humanitarian aid agency Goal said it would be seeking an immediate meeting with Mr Ahern "to get clarification on precisely which agencies will benefit from the establishment today of the Irish Government's Rapid Response Corps".
Goal chief executive John O'Shea said in a statement: "We welcome any initiative which might lead to the alleviation of the suffering of the poorest of the poor. However, it seems this initiative amounts to the Department of Foreign Affairs acting as a recruitment vehicle for three designated UN agencies. But there is no mention in the press release of a similar facility being afforded the implementing Irish aid agencies."
He added: "The pool of experienced developing world operatives who are suitable to join an emergency response team is decreasing rapidly in this country. If Minister Ahern is successful in his recruitment campaign for the three UN agencies, it will leave Goal and other Irish implementing agencies at a serious disadvantage."
Concern chief executive Tom Arnold "broadly welcomed" the rapid response initiative while stressing the need for co-operation with Irish agencies.
He said the corps would be "a useful addition to existing Irish and international capacity to respond to humanitarian disasters", adding that he "looked forward to working with the Government to ensure that this initiative is complementary to the efforts of the major operational Irish aid agencies".
The development agency Trócaire welcomed the fact that Irish Aid, the development division of the Department of Foreign Affairs, was "scaling up its response to humanitarian emergencies".
The director of Dóchas, an umbrella group of Irish aid agencies, Hans Zomer said aid "should be provided in ways that build on, rather than displace, the local response".
He added: "Today's initiative strikes a delicate balance between Irish capacities and the needs of disaster victims."
