Ireland accepts just 38 refugees from Greece despite commitment

Ireland has accepted just 38 refugees, including one unaccompanied child, from Greece in the past year despite a commitment to accept 2,622 under the EU relocation scheme, Ombudsman for Children Dr Niall Muldoon has said.

He said that in June alone 3,169 unaccompanied children arrived in Italy while 2,390 unaccompanied children have been referred to EKKA (Greek National Centre for Social Solidarity) for accommodation since the beginning of this year.

Dr Muldoon said that "one year ago the Department of Justice and Equality committed to give special priority to the plight of unaccompanied children. This commitment remains largely unfulfilled."

Dr Muldoon says he has asked Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald to "explore the possibility of relocating unaccompanied children from Calais under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme".

Ireland is co-facilitating a UN Summit on Refugees and Migrants in New York today, which will discuss a coordinated approach to the crisis.