Enda Kenny has admitted the current refugee crisis is a "human catastrophe", but he's stopped short of promising to allow more people into Ireland.
Speaking in Paris after a meeting with President Francois Hollande, the Taoiseach said the images of Syrian toddler Aylan Kurdi had provoked "shock and rage" around the world.
He said there could be nobody on the planet who would not be moved by the photographs that had emerged in the last 24 hours.
So far this year, 2,500 people desperate to flee conflicts in places like Syria have drowed in the sea while trying to reach Europe.
The New Communities Minister, Aodhan O'Riordain, says Ireland hasn't done all it can. "I don't believe we have. We have already agreed to take 520, and another 600, which is a total of about 1120."
"I think history would be very unkind to Ireland in years to come if we are not seen to have done our absolute best", he added.
Meanwhile the French President says there are a number of countries that aren't sticking to their moral responsibilities in relation to the refugee crisis.
Earlier, the prime minister of Hungary - one of the countries worst affected - said the issue was one for Germany alone to sort out.
A day of action is to be held in Dublin on Saturday in an effort to raise awareness of the mounting refugee crisis across Europe.
Thousands of people have signed an online petition with the organisation Uplift which wants the government to radically increase the number of refugees it will accept.
The petition went live 24 hours ago and it has already attracted more than 11,000 signatures.
Director of Uplift Siobhan O'Donoghue says the governments response so far has been extremely weak.
