Coalition likely to reject motion to take in Calais migrants

The Government will be urged to immediately take in up to 200 unaccompanied migrant children living in the notorious ‘Jungle’ camp in Calais in a cross-party opposition motion set to be put before the Dáil next week.

However, despite the public pressure, the Coalition is likely to reject the motion because the Calais camp is not an official EU resettlement camp, which means it may not be legally possible to act.

Under plans put forward by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and circulated to a number of parties this week, the union umbrella group has called for political action to address the growing crisis at the French site.