Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Seán Crowe TD, has called on the Government to urgently relocated 200 unaccompanied minors from the Calais camp to Ireland.

Speaking in the Dáil on a debate on the situation in Calais, Deputy Crowe said:

“It’s time for the Government to stop telling people what they can’t do for these vulnerable and desperate unaccompanied children in Calais, and start working on what they can do.

“Ireland is in a unique and opportune position because we have amazing volunteers who have biographical files and built trusting relationships with many of these unaccompanied children in Calais.

“We are in the perfect position to take a small proportion of these children, at least 200, and to help to reshape and bring hope back into their lives. There is no legal impediment to relocating these children, and there is no shortage of public and political support for it.

“The Government’s excuses are worn out and not credible. It’s time for the Government to act and immediately facilitate these children to come here.”

ENDS