British Prime Minister David Cameron has confirmed that 20,000 refugees will be resettled in the UK from camps bordering Syria by 2020.

Mr Cameron had been expected to announce that about 10,000 people would be offered sanctuary in Britain - but he has faced significant pressure over the migration crisis in recent days.

According to the European Commission, more than 160,000 asylum seekers need to be relocated from Italy, Greece and Hungary – nations on the periphery of the EU which have seen an influx of refugees arrive by land and sea.

Today, Germany confirmed it will take 40,000 of this total - while France said it plans to accommodate 30,000 people.

Ireland, along with the UK and Denmark, are exempt from the quota scheme, which aims to proportionately distribute refugees across the 28-nation bloc.

Similar proposals were rejected by member states in June, when just 40,000 asylum seekers needed to be relocated from Italy and Greece - and some EU nations are concerned they will not be able to cope with the number of refugees they are allocated.

For example, Poland has said it would be able to accommodate 2,000 refugees to ease the strain on other countries. However, under the quota scheme, this number could be closer to 12,000 people.

Other nations, such as Slovakia, have said they do not want to take in Muslims.

And Hungary has criticised the European Union for considering a quota system at all, with its Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, saying it made no sense unless EU countries were able to protect their own borders.

While Tánaiste Joan Burton has said a figure of 5,000 refugees for Ireland is "in the mix".