Bid to take in children from Calais camp to be blocked by Government

A Dáil motion backed by all Opposition parties for Ireland to immediately take in up to 200 unaccompanied migrant children from Calais is set to be blocked by the Government because the French site is not an official resettlement camp.

Government officials reiterated the position, saying that despite the clear difficulties in Calais and the risks for unaccompanied children, agreeing to help those in immediate need is subject to serious legal hurdles.

Under plans put forward by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, the Dáil will on Wednesday see Opposition TDs seek to put down a motion calling for this country to take in hundreds of migrant children who are now homeless in Calais.