A Catholic Bishop has likened the loss of innocent lives in the Mediterranean to the the Irish experience on 'coffin ships' during the time of the Great Famine.
The Bishop of Cloyne William Crean - who is also Chairman of Trócaire - has called for special prayers to be said at mass for those caught up in the refugee crisis.
Bishop Crean welcomed the humanitarian response of the Irish Naval Service.
He said we have an obligation to safeguard the rights of migrants fleeing persecution.
He has asked those in his diocese to pray for people attempting to cross the Mediterranean and those who are coming to their aid.
Bishop Crean said, "we have an obligation to safeguard the rights, the religion and the traditions of migrants fleeing persecution... What is required is a global solution to this global crisis in order to tackle the root causes of forced migration".
The Irish naval vessel LE Niamh brought around 360 migrants ashore in Palermo on Thursday after the latest Mediterranean tragedy on Wednesday.
It is thought around 200 people died when the wooden boat they were in capsized.
Five people have been arrested in connection with the incident.
