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Spanish government data showed 5,914 people arrived in the Canary Islands between January and mid-June this year (file pic)

Four migrant boats rescued off Spain's Canary Islands

A total of 227 migrants were rescued near Spain's Canary Islands, emergency services said, a day after migrant charities said they feared more than 30 migrants had died after their inflatable dinghy sank on the same route.

World • 22 Jun 23

Greek riot police face demonstrators during protests against the construction of a new migrant camp on Lesbos

Greek islanders clash with police over migrant centre

Riot police on the Greek island of Lesbos fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of protesters angry about the creation of a new detention centre for migrants, the latest bout of unrest over the matter.

Europe • 27 Feb 20

The Open Arms rescue boat is due to dock in Barcelona on Wednesday

Migrant rescue boat offered safe port in Barcelona

A humanitarian boat carrying 59 migrants rescued off the Libyan coast is said to be making for Barcelona.

News • 01 Jul 18

More than 600,000 migrants have reached Italy by boat from Africa in the past five years

Italy to ask NATO to help deal with migrant crisis

Italy wants NATO to help defend its southern shores from an influx of migrants, Interior Minister Matteo Salvini has said.

Europe • 08 Jun 18

The right to asylum in Europe is currently the responsibility of the EU country where the asylum seeker arrives

Italy calls for standardisation of EU asylum rules

Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni has called for asylum regulations to be standardised across Europe, saying immigration was one of the biggest challenges facing the continent and a major concern of EU citizens

News • 28 Sep 17

The LÉ Eithne's crew is credited with saving the lives of more than 3,300 migrants

LÉ Eithne departs on new Mediterranean migrant mission

The naval vessel LÉ Eithne has departed Cork Harbour to participate in the humanitarian mission to rescue migrants crossing the Mediterranean from North Africa to Europe.

News • 23 May 17

Ireland's refugee protection programme was established as a direct result of the crisis in southern Europe

486 refugees taken in since migrant crisis began

Ireland has taken in 486 refugees since the European migrant crisis began, Minister of State for Equality, Immigration and Integration David Stanton has told the Dáil.

News • 28 Sep 16

Pope Francis welcomes the group of Syrian refugees that flew with him after landing at Ciampino airport in Rome this afternoon

Pope takes three Syrian families back to Vatican

Pope Francis, who visited the Greek migrant hotspot island of Lesbos, took three Syrian families with him on the papal plane back to the Vatican, describing the move as a "humanitarian gesture... (but) a drop in the ocean".

News • 16 Apr 16

Candidates to succeed Ban Ki-moon are preparing to address the UN General Assembly

Calls for next UN chief to tackle refugee crisis

The next United Nations secretary general must commit to a new global deal for refugees and to end the death penalty during his or her tenure, the world's leading human rights groups said today.

News • 11 Apr 16

Under the new deal all migrants arriving in Greece from Sunday will be sent back

UN cautious of EU-Turkey migrant deal

The United Nations' refugee agency has warned it will be watching closely to see how the Turkey-EU migrant deal is implemented, stressing the right to asylum must be paramount.

News • 19 Mar 16

Greece has asked the EU for €480m in emergency funds to help shelter 100,000 refugees

At least 25 migrants drown off Turkish coast

At least 25 people attempting to reach Greece have drowned after their boat sank off the Turkish coast.

News • 06 Mar 16

The migrant camp in Calais is known as the 'Jungle'

Court backs plan to evacuate Calais migrant camp

A French court has give the green light to plans to evacuate hundreds of migrants from the notorious "Jungle" camp in the northern French port of Calais.

News • 25 Feb 16

A Croatian police officer talks to refugees from Syria and Iraq waiting to cross the Greek-Macedonian border

Greek police move migrants from Macedonian border

Greek police have started removing migrants from the Greek-Macedonian border after additional passage restrictions imposed by Macedonian authorities left hundreds of them stranded, sources said.

News • 23 Feb 16

Judge Valerie Quemener was mobbed by journalists and migrants as she made her way round the site

France Calais 'jungle' eviction decision delayed

A French court has said it was delaying its ruling on the demolition of half of the 'jungle' refugee camp in Calais, just hours before a deadline for residents to be evacuated.

News • 23 Feb 16

King Abdullah said the refugee crisis was overloading Jordan's social services and threatening regional stability

King Abdullah appeals for help with migrant influx

Jordan's King Abdullah says his country needs long-term aid from the international community to cope with a huge influx of Syrian refugees, warning that unless it received support the "dam is going to burst".

News • 02 Feb 16

Sweden has introduced border controls and identification checks to stem the flow of asylum seekers

Rise in people seeking asylum without claim - EU

The European Union executive has said there has been an increase in the number of people arriving in Europe without a genuine claim to asylum.

News • 28 Jan 16

Recent assaults linked to migrants have deepened scepticism towards Angela Merkel's refugee policy

German govt backs deportation law for criminals

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition government backed a new law on Wednesday to make it easier to deport foreign nationals who commit crimes, in the wake of attacks on women on New Year's Eve, many blamed on migrants.

News • 27 Jan 16

Under the 'jewellery bill' refugees can keep possessions amounting to €1,338

Denmark passes controversial migrant law

The Danish parliament has passed a package of measures aimed at deterring refugees from seeking asylum.

News • 26 Jan 16

Police mount a temporary fence between domestic and international tracks at Hyllie train station in Malmo, Sweden

Sweden introduces border identity checks

Sweden has introduced identity checks for people arriving in the country from Denmark.

News • 04 Jan 16

'P62' will carry out humanitarian rescue operations as well as coastal protections

LÉ Aoife en route to Malta to bring aid

The former naval vessel, LÉ Aoife, left Cork Harbour this morning bound for Malta where she will form part of the country's fleet, taking part in humanitarian rescue operations as well as coastal protection duties in the Mediterranean.

News • 21 Nov 15

A man reacts as he arrives, with other refugees and migrants on Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey

34 people missing after migrant boat sinks

An extensive search is under way off a Greek island for at least 34 missing migrants after their boat sank near the island of Lesbos yesterday.

News • 29 Oct 15

Federica Mogherini has warned of potential risks facing the bloc

'EU risks disintegration over migrant crisis'

The European Union risks disintegrating if it fails to respond to its worst migration crisis since World War II collectively, its top foreign policy chief warned today.

World • 29 Oct 15

Migrants and refugees rest as they wait to board buses to go to a refugee center after crossing Croatian-Slovenian border in Rigonce

Germany critical of Austrian border fence plan

Germany has said Europe's ongoing migrant crisis cannot be solved through the construction of fences or walls at borders, after Austria announced plans to fence up its border with Slovenia to slow the flow of migrants.

News • 28 Oct 15

The council says the Government must cater for all of the migrants' needs

Up to 30 Syrian refugees expected by year end

Ireland expects to receive 20 to 30 refugees from Syria before the end of this year as part of the relocation programme announced by the Government last month for 3,500 people fleeing Middle East war zones.