Despite the billions of euro now added to Ireland’s national debt, the Irish government has promised to send €500,000 and a shipment of humanitarian supplies to Haiti, which has been devastated by a series of natural disasters.

In January, an earthquake hit the country and which left 230,000 dead and over one million homeless.

A cholera epidemic has since then and he Haitian ministry of health said the death toll has reached more than 900 with 14,600. The United Nations predicts that as many as 200,000 Haitians could contract the disease and says that $163.9 million in aid is needed to fight the epidemic.

The Irish Minister for Overseas Development Peter Power said Ireland will send 40 metric tonnes of tents and tarpaulins, which will be distributed by the aid organizations Concern and the International Organisation for Migration.

The funding, which comes from tax funds and is paid through Irish Aid, a government aid body, will go to Plan Ireland and Goal, who will use it to help provide clean water, sanitation and hygiene equipment to the homeless.

It brings to €7.6 million the total amount allocated by the Government to €7.6 million to the earthquake of January 12.