As millions of euro continue to pour into Irish aid agencies, the chief executive of GOAL, Mr John O'Shea, called on the Government to send in the Irish Army.
Mr O'Shea said the public had donated €900,000 to GOAL so far.
He said he would be meeting the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, tomorrow and would be calling on him to send the Army to the affected area. US and UK troops are already on the ground.
"Logistically, the Army is the best as they have the facilities and can bring in helicopters and aid agencies need their support. The best people I know to deal with such a disaster are logistically trained and they are in the Army," he said.
During the last 24 hours, GOAL had also expanded its relief operations in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in Sri Lanka, where the emphasis remains on providing food kitchens, water, cash for work programmes, survival kits and medical attention
It is also the first international humanitarian agency to begin relief operations in the isolated Andaman Islands
Next weekend, GOAL Sport Aid takes place when the charity will be asking all sporting organisations in the country to support its efforts to alleviate suffering in south-east Asia.
Today, a walk to raise funds for GOAL will start at 2 p.m. from the DART at Howth.
A spokesman for the Irish Red Cross said millions of euro are being transferred immediately to the disaster zone by the organisation as fundraising efforts were boosted by a visit from the President, Mrs McAleese.
President McAleese was thanked for her visit by the Irish Red Cross chairman, Mr David Andrews, who said: "What is needed now is for Irish people to keep up the momentum because devastated areas are now being reached where people are at serious risk of dying from hunger, dirty water and disease."
A spokeswoman for Concern said that the public had donated up to €1.53 million so far.
Concern's chief executive, Mr Tom Arnold, thanked the Irish people for what was described as a "phenomenal response".
A spokeswoman for Concern said the charity already had an operation in India. They had now sent a team to Sri Lanka and were also sending staff to Indonesia to see what was needed.
Through Oxfam Ireland, the Irish public has made an immediate contribution of €150,000, a spokeswoman said. The situation would continue to be closely monitored with a view to providing additional support in the very near future.
The nationwide appeal in public houses and hotels in the State was expected to bring in €1 million.
A spokesman for the organisers said 10,000 publicans and hoteliers were taking part and had collection buckets in their premises. Organisers included the Irish Red Cross, the Irish Hotels Federation, the Licensed Vintners Association and the Vintners Federation of Ireland.
He appealed to publicans and hoteliers to count and bag the cash and deliver it to Garda stations tomorrow morning.
Meanwhile, churches and other agencies in Northern Ireland are involved in major fund-raising. Members of the Indian community gathered in the Indian Community Centre in north Belfast yesterday to hold a prayer service.