Kilkenny city and county is to get 140 foreign refugees over the next year.

Kilkenny County Council confirmed this morning that the figure is

likely to be made up of 25 to 30 families plus some single persons.

The request from The Department of Justice and Equality is a direct

response to the humanitarian crisis that has developed in Southern

Europe arising from mass migration from areas of conflict in the

Middle East and Africa.

It follows on from previous requests to six other counties who are

completing their resettlement programmes.

A further ten counties are at an advanced stage of preparation for

the resettlement of refugees.

Kilkenny County Council will now establish a local Resettlement Inter

Agency Working Group which will act as a management committee to

oversee the development.

As matters progress in that regard further updates will issue.