EU summit: leaders pledge to accelerate refugee crisis plan

European leaders on Friday pledged to accelerate the implementation of previously-agreed measures to tackle the refugee crisis, though no substantive new policies were agreed at the last summit of the year.

In a communiqué issued by leaders this lunchtime as the two-day summit drew to a close, the European Council pledged to address deficiencies in asylum policy. “For the integrity of Schengen to be safeguarded it is indispensable to regain control over the external borders. Deficiencies, notably as regards hotspots, relocation and returns, must be rapidly addressed,” leaders stated in a draft document.

In particular there are growing concerns about the EU's relocation scheme agreed in September which aims to relocate 120,000 refugees across the European Union. To date, just over 180 migrants have been redistributed, with countries, including Ireland, expressing frustration about the logistical challenges facing countries who are ready to participate in the scheme.

Similarly, a proposal for a voluntary resettlement scheme for Syrian refugees residing in Turkey gained scant support from leaders during the two-day summit, amid concern from some member states that Turkey has not sufficiently curbed the numbers of refugees travelling to the EU.

There was more support for the European Commission's new EU border guard, which envisages the deployment of EU border guards to specific areas in emergency situations, though a final decision on the proposal is not expected until next year. Minister of State Dara Murphy indicated last night that Ireland was unlikely to participate in the scheme which is applicable to Schengen countries.

In a summit that was dominated by Britain's quest to renegotiate its relationship with the European Union, British Prime Minister David Cameron said he was confident that a "pathway to an agreement" had been agreed.

“Really good progress has been made but it is going to be tough because we are attempting something very difficult, something that hasn’t been tried before or tried by another country, and that is to renegotiate our position inside this European Union, at a time of our choosing, with the mandate of the British people behind us,” he said.

“The good news is that there is a pathway to an agreement, and I’m confident of that after the discussion we’ve just had.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny rowed in last night behind British Prime Minister David Cameron as the British leader appealed to his EU counterparts to agree to significant reforms to keep Britain in the EU.

In one of the most important political discussions on Britain’s EU membership since negotiations began ahead of an impending EU referendum, Mr Cameron urged his fellow EU leaders to respond to Britain’s demands.

Mr Cameron addressed leaders for 40 minutes over dinner, with most EU leaders intervening during the late night discussion.

In a strong intervention, Taoiseach Enda Kenny cited Britain’s support for Ireland during the bailout crisis, urging everyone to work with Britain to find a solution.

"David Cameron is asking for our help and we should give it to him," Mr Kenny said.

While most EU leaders rejected any curb on in-work benefits for migrants that would be seen as discriminatory, British officials are expected to set out a series of legal proposals to address concerns on welfare benefits in the coming weeks. A final proposal is then expected by February’s summit, with a referendum likely later this year.

In a significant move, German chancellor Angela Merkel opened the door to changing the EU treaties to accommodate Britain's demands, although she suggested such changes could be postponed for a number of years.