The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dermot Ahern, has begun a three-day visit to the region devastated by the Indian Ocean tsunami.
The floods following the underwater earthquake have claimed more than 150,000 and have left many millions homeless.
Mr Ahern is to visit Thailand, Indonesia and Sri Lanka on a fact-finding mission. The minister is being accompanied by executives of the aid agencies Trócaire, Concern and Goal.
Meanwhile, Indonesia has reported nearly 3,000 new deaths on the island of Sumatra, bringing the country's total to more than 104,000.
Food aid boost for victims
The UN agency, the World Food Programme, says it expects food aid to reach all the victims of the Asian tsunami disaster who need it within the next week.
The programme is feeding 750,000 people in Sri Lanka and plans to supply 4,000 people in Indonesia in seven days.
Its executive director, Jim Morris, said he was optimistic that no one would die from hunger or malnutrition.
