Ireland will double quota of refugees it accepts in 2018

IRELAND will take in 600 refugees next year – more than twice as many as originally planned, the Justice Minister has said.

Charlie Flanagan announced the commitment, which has been made as part of a new EU resettlement pledging exercise, to his colleagues on Thursday.

He said: ‘This demonstrates Ireland’s continuing commitment to play a full and active part in the EU efforts to meet the challenges of the migration crisis.’

Mr Flanagan said the Irish Refugee Protection Programme, which was established two years ago in the wake of the Mediterranean refugee crisis, has provided ‘a welcome safe haven’ to more than 1,300 people, including over 650 children.

‘Implementing the programme presents logistical challenges but we are making steady progress,’ Mr Flanagan said, adding that he has asked Justice officials to review the programme ‘to see what more can be done to ensure we meet our targets’.

Meanwhile, Irish Naval vessel the LÉ William Butler Years yesterday recovered three dead bodies in an operation that saw 285 migrants rescued off the coast of Libya.