Refugee crisis to worsen as borders are shut

Europe has failed to agree how to share the burden of refugees daily entering the EU, as five countries either shut their borders or introduced border controls, leaving thousands of migrants in limbo and increasing pressure on other countries.

In a desperate bid to keep deep divisions between member states under control, there was some agreement on how to limit migrants, arrest traffickers, and send home those not entitled to asylum.

There was an agreement also to select 40,000 Syrians, Eritreans, and Iraqis from Italy and Greece who qualify as refugees and begin resettling them in a number of countries, including 600 in Ireland that Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald said should begin to arrive before the end of the year.