There has been a surge in demand for Irish passports following the UK’s vote to leave the European Union.
Foreign affairs minister Charlie Flanagan urged British citizens with the right to an Irish passport to apply only if it was necessary after significant interest from Britons seeking to ensure their long-term right to free movement after Brexit.
Large queues formed outside the country’s passport office and post offices ran out of application forms.
Mr Flanagan told the Times: “Following the UK referendum, there has been a spike in interest in Irish passports in Northern Ireland, Great Britain and elsewhere, although there has been some exaggeration of demand,” he told the Times.
“The increased interest clearly points to a sense of concern among some UK passport holders that the rights they enjoy as EU citizens are about to abruptly end. I want to state clearly that this is not the case. The United Kingdom has voted to leave the European Union but it has not yet left. It will take some time for negotiations on a British exit to conclude.”
Google trends data showed searches for “getting an Irish passport” in Britain on Friday more than doubled the usual rate.