UK demand for Irish passports surges in wake of Brexit

Applications for Irish passports from people based in Britain are up by 70 per cent this year, the Republic's ambassador to the UK has said. Dan Mulhall added that applications for Irish citizenship through grandparents had also increased 'quite dramatically' since the UK's vote last June to leave the European Union.

Britons can be eligible for an Irish passport if a parent or grandparent was born in Ireland. Picture: Getty Images

People born in Northern Ireland have an automatic right to Irish citizenship, while British people with an Irish parent, or in certain circumstances an Irish grandparent, also have an automatic right to become Irish citizens.

In a radio interview, Mr Mulhall said: “We’ve seen significant percentage increases, [but] the overall numbers are still not dramatic.

“The increase this year, the first few months of this year, over last year is up 70 per cent – that’s the demand for Irish passports from people based in Britain.

“Also of course people applying for Irish citizenship through a grandparent, that’s gone up quite dramatically.”

While around 50,000 Irish passports were usually issued in Britain each year, 70,000 were issued in 2016, Mr Mulhall said.

The UK’s Irish ambassador, who is due to leave his post to become the Irish ambassador to the US, also said a referendum on a united Ireland could be “something that will arise at some time in the future”.

“Brexit complicates the situation for everyone in Ireland,” he said. “We would prefer if Britain were to remain in the European Union, that would be the most straightforward way of maintaining the good situation we have with Northern Ireland.”

Mr Mulhall also said talks over the border in the Republic of Ireland were “in a good position” given the recognition on all sides to maintain a soft border after Brexit.

Britons are eligible for Irish citizenship if any grandparents was born in Ireland.

If at least one parent was an Irish citizen but not by birth – ie, they became a citizen by naturalisation or marriage – you can become an Irish citizen.

You can also become a citizen through naturalisation, either as a migrant or through a spouse.