Refugees housed in Hazel Hotel could be granted study visas

Fears of how the Syrian refugees that are being housed in Monasterevin, and in different areas of the country, won't be able to integrate properly into Irish society has led to a United Nations member to call on the government to consider awarding the refugees study visas.

A spokesperson for the United Nations High Comissioner for Refugees(UNHCR) pointed to the integration of Vietnamese and Bosnians in previous times.

"Initiatives might include study visas, humanitarian admission or family reunification that would allow Syrians already living in Ireland to bring their family members here."

"Our experience is that refugees who do come to Ireland, whether they are Vietnamese in the 1970s or Bosnians in the 1990s, make a go of it once they are here and contribute to the Irish economic life and social life in every way possible."

The first group of refugees arrived in the Hazel Hotel on 15 September, with 500 expected to be housed there in the coming months.