Sweden first to take refugees under EU plan

Tomorrow, Sweden becomes the first country to take refugees under the EU plan to relieve pressure on Greece and Italy, but it will be some time before Ireland can do so, the Department of Justice says.

Today, justice ministers, including Frances Fitzgerald, will discuss plans to send back refugees to their home country who do not qualify for asylum, as well as considering help to Turkey to maintain 2.5m mostly Syrians to remain in camps there.

The need to set up emergency reception and orientation centres to take the 600 people to which Ireland has committed over the next two years will take time.