Brian Hayes said more needed to be done on the migrant crisis

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Ireland’s Brian Hayes said the EU had “failed to respond” to the migrant crisis at its peak in 2015 and 2016 and more needed to be done to protect the vulnerable this coming summer.

The Dublin MEP for the Fine Gael party said the migrant issue “has not gone away” and urged immediate action to protect those risking their lives crossing the Mediterranean.

He said: “The issue might not be in the headlines now, but it could be very quickly. It is still a real issue of humanitarian relief.

“Already this year 559 have died. From 2015 to 2017 over 6,000 died making the perilous journey.