Annual Report 2008 Highlights

Eight communities around Ireland benefitted from the provision of new ambulances and specialist radio-vans by the Irish Red Cross, while a further 31 communities and businesses were supplied with new life-saving cardiac defibrillators and training.

Recognition by state-bodies such as FETAC and PHECC for First Aid training courses, as well as the Health & Safety Authority, underpinned this growth – particularly those used by companies – which saw an increase of 13% on the previous year in the numbers of people taking Irish Red Cross Occupational First Aid courses.

Excellence in First Aid training also characterises the training undertaken by Irish Red Cross members themselves, who again secured many of the top places in international competition representing Ireland against 25 other countries. Dubliner, Mary McCabe from Finglas won the best individual overall prize for the whole competition, while in the team event, teams from Limerick and Dublin won top honours in specific categories of the international competition.

Search and rescue operations also grew in the period, with more than 100 people who got into difficulty on mountains or lakes, assisted by specially-trained Irish Red Cross members. Sadly, these members who are all volunteers, also brought the mortal remains of nine people back to their families which enabled these families to say their final farewells.

People in Ireland and their loved ones overseas in some 36 different countries were helped find and in some cases communicate or even re-unite with one another, through the Irish Red Cross Restoring Family Links service.

The Irish Red Cross also helped people in 17 countries in Asia and Africa affected by war and disaster; As it approached its fifth and final year on post-tsunami operations, some €.5.5 million was spent in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, resulting in education for 5000 schoolchildren, the construction of nine schools and pre-schools, the provision of clean water to close to 10,000 people and the completion of 490 new homes.

Elsewhere in Asia, over a million Euro was given in aid by the Irish Red Cross to help people in China and Myanmar (Burma) cope with the earthquake and cyclone that affected these countries. Funds to deal with smaller scale disasters in India and Bangladesh were also advanced by the Irish Red Cross.

2008 also saw a focus on assistance given by the Irish Red Cross to countries in Africa suffering extreme and ongoing poverty.