Human rights group call on Ireland to show "moral leadership" on refugee issue

The State’s independent human rights watchdog has criticised Ireland’s support for the EU-Turkey deal on the return of refugees and migrants.

The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission said the agreement represented a “disturbing European trend of regression from fundamental human rights values”.

It called on Ireland to show “moral leadership” in pushing to replace it with real protections for people fleeing Syria and other conflict zones. It said Ireland must improve its offer to take in 4,000 refugees by the end of 2017.