Almost 100 refugees are currently being housed in a former Co Kildare hotel with plans for another 30 this month.
The former Hazel Hotel, Monasterevin, is Ireland's emergency and reception centre for mainly Syrian refugees. There is one other centre in Ireland, at Clonea Strand, Co Waterford.
Independent MEP Marian Harkin, who represents Co Kildare, is concerned that only 258 refugees have been admitted to Ireland, since they first started arriving in January last year.
It is anticipated that a total of 4,000 refugees will arrive in Ireland.
MEP Harkin said: "It is not enough to blame the EU, it really is about we as an Irish nation can do ."
She is calling for all parishes in Ireland to offer a house for refugees.
MEP Harkin said: "I would call on every parish to take a family, this would make it manageable."
Since the beginning of 2015 a total of 258 refugees (mainly Syrian) have been admitted to the State as part of the Irish Refugee Protection Programme under Ireland’s Refugee Resettlement Programme. The balance of the 520 was interviewed during a selection mission to Lebanon earlier this year. Arrangements for the admission of the remainder of this cohort are ongoing and it is intended that the balance will arrive on a phased basis throughout 2016.
A Department of Justice spokesperson said: "The small number of relocations effected to-date reflects the fact that the EU relocation programme has been slow in gathering momentum due to the time taken to establish migration 'hotspots' in Greece and Italy. Migrants must first seek asylum in order to be considered under the programme. The latest reports available indicate that the hotspots in both countries are becoming more operational as additional resources are allocated. A further 30 persons are expected to arrive in Ireland from Greece in late April and Ireland is prepared to make more substantive pledges in line with its commitments once it is confirmed that sufficient numbers of persons have claimed asylum in order to provide a sufficient flow of persons to Ireland. "
Meanwhile, under a new agreement between the European Union and Turkey, migrants who have entered Greece after midnight March 20 at midnight will be deported back to Turkey.
Currently refugees in Greece are being detained in specific areas called 'hot spots' and are not allowed leave. There are reports that these refugees, who have escaped civil war in Syria, are now enduring terrible conditions ranging from lack of proper food and water.
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