Following months of speculation Arklow has been listed as a Syrian refugee housing site.

According to the Irish Times Minister Fitzgerald said 90 sites were identified but only 25 were deemed suitable.

“What we want to see all over the country is everyone playing their part. We have got offers of help from all over the country except one or two counties, ” the Minister said.

On the suitability of the accommodation she added: “There is a standard here. Some countries are building tented villages and using school gymnasiums but they are dealing with thousands.”

Arklow along with Killarney, Kilkenny, Carlow, Cavan, Monaghan, Carrickmacross, Carrick-on-Shannon, Roscommon, Sligo, Ballina, Castlebar, Ennis, Limerick, Cork, Tralee, Thurles, Portlaoise, Tullamore, Waterford, Naas and Mullingar – and in the four Dublin local authority areas are the choosen sites.

Ireland are due to take 4’000 refugees from Syria over the next two years.