IRELAND is to take in 25 migrants from a ship that has been at sea for five days with more than 230 rescued people on board.
German aid group Mission Lifeline, which operates the ship, says the migrants were rescued from rubber dinghies in international waters in the Mediterranean last Thursday.
In a tweet on Tuesday, Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney said he had “committed Ireland to taking 25 migrants” from the ship after consulting with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan.
Until now both Italy and Malta had refused to allow the ship to dock.
Italy’s new government had said it would no longer accept migrant ships and that Malta should take in the migrants.
Malta meanwhile stated that it was under no obligation to open its ports.
Following consultation with @campaignforleo and @CharlieFlanagan I have committed Ireland to taking 25 migrants from @MV_LIFELINE to assist Malta and show solidarity and compassion with the needs of those aboard.
— Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) June 26, 2018
However on Tuesday, prime minister of Italy Giuseppe Conte said his Maltese counterpart Joseph Muscat had informed him they would let the MV Lifeline dock.
The impasse appears to have been resolved after other EU member states, including Ireland, agreed to accept some of the migrants.
Italy and Malta, as well as Portugal, France and Spain, are the other countries reportedly accepting migrants.
Pleased to work with @campaignforleo Taoiseach & Tanaiste @simoncoveney offering humanitarian assistance & support to 25 very vulnerable persons on MV Lifeline in Mediterranean. pic.twitter.com/UroWNfEwBw
— Charlie Flanagan (@CharlieFlanagan) June 26, 2018
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