A CO Derry councillor is calling on his local authority to take in 200 refugees and migrant workers in a bid to ease the humanitarian crisis they face.
Sinn Féin councillor Sean McGlinchey has called for an emergency meeting of Causeway Coast and Glens council to be held this week.
He said he believed his council could help up to 200 refugees trying to make new lives in western Europe.
He also encouraged councils across the north to make a similar offer.
The issues was brought into sharp focus last week after the body of a three year old Syrian boy was pictured washed up on the Turkish shoreline.
The spotlight on Syrian refugees comes after the plight of other migrant workers trying to make new lives in Europe has been highlighted in recent months
He died with his brother and mother after the dinghy they were trying to flee Syria in capsized.
“The super councils need to take a bit of leadership and I am asking for a special meeting to discuss the migrant crisis,” he said.
Mr McGlinchey was speaking days after deputy first minister Martin McGuinness said the north could take in up to 2,000 refugees.
“With the amount of young people who go around the world, it’s time we gave something back,” he said.
Mr McGlinchey said buildings left empty, or partially used after the merger of council district earlier this year, could be used to house those in need.
