Ireland to pay penalty over failure to accommodate refugees under EU agreement

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - Ireland has to make a financial contribution of €1.5 million (nearly $1.6 million) to the European Union for breaching a refugee housing agreement with the bloc, according to local media reports on Thursday.

The Irish government has committed to participating in an EU initiative known as the EU's voluntary solidarity mechanism (VSM), where member states must accommodate refugees or make a financial contribution.

Under the mechanism, the Irish government agreed to provide accommodation for 350 refugees, but it was unable to find suitable housing due to various factors, such as the ongoing war in Ukraine and rising numbers of asylum seekers from other regions.

The mechanism was implemented last year as an alternative approach after efforts to establish a comprehensive immigration pact across the EU failed.