“Of course, it is totally optional for them to do this.”

He also said he had been in contact with the Kirk’s head office in Edinburgh, and that the donations collected would then be sent to the Christian Aid Fund, which in turn would be directed accordingly to the humanitarian aid effort in the affected countries.

“We have nine volunteers from Dundee out there just now, and they are all safe and well,” he went on.

“It’s such a tragedy for those who live close to the coastlines. It’s just so sad.

“In Sri Lanka, so many people live close to the coastlines, and people’s lives have been torn apart and destroyed.

“Anything we can do in helping put their lives back together is very important. We will be seeking to support in any way we can.”

SCIAF (Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund) has sent £50,000 to the area, and is appealing to parishes across Scotland to do all they can to help.

This comes as British charity organisations launched their massive emergency appeal yesterday to help victims of the atrocity.

A spokesperson for Disasters Emergency Committee member, Oxfam, said today, “We’re active on a number of fronts, and we have a pre-existing, long-standing programme in the Maldives, Bangladesh, Indonesia, India and Sri Lanka. We also have programmes in East Africa.

“The effort in Sri Lanka is now being scaled up, and we are distributing food packs and emergency hygiene packs containing things like candles, matches, soap, etc. Washing and sanitation is a priority, as is shelter.

“Oxfam is sending a plane out today which has a whole range of sanitation materials aboard, and our media manager from our Glasgow office, Malcolm Fleming, has been in Sri Lanka since yesterday morning.

“As a member of the Disasters Emergency Committee, we are coming together and appealing for cash donations.”