Sir, – Again we see the harrowing and tragic scenes of people escaping in small and unsafe craft at the mercy of the elements in the Mediterranean sea.
Many of these people are fleeing brutal persecution and likely death at the hands of various extremists in their home countries, and often pay criminal gangs who care little for their welfare, their life savings in their desperation to flee.
When they arrive, if they have survived and not been turned back, they will spend their time in transit or makeshift camps with little or nothing to do, unprotected and ripe for further exploitation.
Hundreds of thousands are being forced to leave countries in the Middle East and north Africa, often from countries which have experienced regime change aided and abetted by the West. The West has stood by while these countries have disintegrated, offering little or no help to their innocent citizens.
If the West is not willing to intervene militarily, then we should offer temporary or permanent refuge to these people.
Ireland should set an example and take in 10,000 refugees immediately to be distributed throughout the towns and villages of the country.
Some will bring their business acumen and skills to re-invigorate rural and small urban areas as the Ugandan Asians did in the UK in the 1970s. – Yours, etc, GLENN PHILLIPS Tralee, Co Kerry.