Ireland could and should be taking in twice as many migrants to help alleviate the crisis in the Mediterranean.

That is according to the aid agency, GOAL. The Government has already committed to taking in 600 refugees.

But the aid agency believes that the resources are there to double the number without impacting on other domestic resources.

GOAL says the European Union has absorbed 1000% less Syrians refugees than Lebanon alone, and the US has taken in 335 refugees out of a total of 3.5 million.

Since the crisis in Syria began in March 2011, GOAL says some 160,000 people have been killed, more than 9.3 million people are in need of aid and 6.5 million people have been forced from their homes inside the country.

It adds that half of this number are children.

Barry Andrews is CEO of GOAL. He told Newstalk Breakfast Ireland should be "a leader" in this area.