The UN Special Representative for Migration and Development has expressed concern about EU policy on the Mediterranean migration crisis.
This month the European Union is putting in place a new but smaller operation to track and rescue migrants who get into trouble in the Mediterranean Sea on their way from Africa to Europe.
Operation Triton replaces Mare Nostrum run by the Italian navy which rescued over 100,000 migrants from the sea last year.
As many as 3,000 people are thought to have died this year alone trying to make the treacherous crossings.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Peter Sutherland said it is impossible to stop migration and explained what needs to be done.
"There is a very negative attitude towards migration in Europe. What we have to recognise is that if we don't allow in more legal migrants we are going to have more illegal migrants and those illegal migrants are going to find ways which are dangerous to them and which will cause massive loss of lives."
He added that the current mindset being adopted by the EU to stop migrants travelling from North Africa is shocking.
"I think the argument is utterly shocking. It it in effect says because we are saving lives we are inducing people to travel across the Med in greater numbers and therefore in some way this saving of lives should be curtailed or cut down."
Mr Sutherland added: "I simply cannot accept that as a proposition and I think it is extremely dangerous. We should be spending more instead of less on trying to save lives."
