The Irish Government is to allow 24 people, who fled the ongoing conflict in Libya, to come to Ireland.
The commitment was made in Brussels at a meeting of EU Home Affairs Ministers.
The 24 people to be given refugee status will be selected by the UN High Commission for Refugees, which is running camps on Libya's borders with Egypt and Tunisia.
It is understood that those selected will be family groups, rather than individuals. The refugees will not necessarily all come from Libya.
While an estimated 650,000 refugees are in border camps, as many 250,000 came from other north African nations, such as Somalia and Algeria.
Like previous refugee programmes, it is expected the group of 24 will be brought to a reception centre in Ireland, before being given local authority assistance to set-up on their own.
The commitment was given by Minister of State Kathleen Lynch, who is deputising for Justice Minister Alan Shatter.
Minister Lynch said she hoped Ireland's decision will encourage other countries with greater resources to make a commitment.
The Minister said that some refugees would only want to remain in Ireland for a short period.
Other European nations have also given commitments: Germany will take 200; Sweden 200; Finland 100; Belgium 25; and Portugal 25.
There is no indication yet when the refugees will arrive. This will be decided after UNHCR identifies who will be travelling to Ireland.
Libyan rebels to open London office
Elsewhere, Libyan rebels are to open an office in London as part of renewed efforts to rally international support behind their fight to overthrow Muammar Gaddafi.
After meeting rebel leader Mustafa Abdel Jalil, British Prime Minister David Cameron said other countries must step up the financial and military pressure to force Gaddafi to stand down.
'The government is today inviting the council to establish a formal office here in London,' Mr Cameron told reporters.
'We will work with you to ensure that the international community increases the diplomatic, the economic and the military pressure on this bankrupt regime.'
The rebels are fighting to end Gaddafi's 41 years in power, but the war has reached stalemate with Gaddafi controlling the capital and almost all of western Libya, while rebels have Benghazi and other towns in the oil-producing east.
Britain will bolster its diplomatic team in eastern Libya by appointing former ambassador to Iraq John Jenkins to lead its delegation there, Mr Cameron added.
Britain will also send several million pounds worth of equipment to the police in Benghazi and provide support to improve the rebels' public broadcasting capability.
Mr Abdel Jalil said he had travelled to Britain with other officials to thank the people and government for 'their disciplined and moral stance'.
Last week, Western and Arab countries opposed to Gaddafi agreed in Rome to set up a fund, the so-called Temporary Financial Mechanism, to help the rebels, who say they need around €2bn in immediate aid.
