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Over 6,000 Irish people pledge to home refugees

Over 6,000 Irish people have offered up a bed in their homes to refugees caught up in what campai...
Newstalk
Newstalk

15.36 4 Sep 2015


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Over 6,000 Irish people pledge...

Over 6,000 Irish people pledge to home refugees

Newstalk
Newstalk

15.36 4 Sep 2015


Share this article


Over 6,000 Irish people have offered up a bed in their homes to refugees caught up in what campaigners describe as “the worst humanitarian crisis since the Second World War”.

Irish advocacy group, Uplift, launched their “pledge a bed” campaign just yesterday but have already received 6,000 offers to home displaced refugees.

The organisation says the pledge is not a definite commitment but “is a powerful way of showing solidarity and practical action”.

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Almost 32,000 people have also signed a petition calling on Taoiseach Enda Kenny to allow “thousands not hundreds of refugees seek refuge in Ireland”.

The group have organised solidarity vigils at Electric Picnic and the the Famine Memorial in Dublin at 1pm tomorrow where they will hold a minute silence.

In a statement, the group said: “The scale of the human tragedy is truly shocking.

“The government’s response has been dismal. They’ve offered to relocate just 600 people over two years, surely Ireland can do so much more. We need to go all in to get the government to agree to significantly raise this number.

“At times like these, it’s hard to know what to do given the scale of what is happening. But these are the moments that define our humanity and as a community this is our opportunity to show leadership.”

EU action

The Government has since hinted that Ireland could agree to accommodate around 1,800 refugees.

It is expected the EU will issue a proposal next week which will see 150,000 extra refugees distributed across member states in response to the current crisis.

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald, speaking to Newstalk Breakfast, says if this is the case, Ireland will take as many refugees as the EU directs, which could be around 1,800 - three times the current pledge by the Irish Government.

"I do want to say that the Irish Government and I want to respond in the most comprehensive way we can," Minister Fitzgerald told Ivan.

She explained that Ireland will take what is asked of us at a meeting of European justice ministers next Monday.

"If the EU meeting decides on... it was 40,000 last time, but I have to point out that the justice ministers from around Europe were not able to agree to 40,000, collectively they agreed to 32,000... although if that's to be added to by another number... we will make that proportionate response," she added.


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