Demand for Irish passports soars after Brexit referendum

Applications for Irish passports from people in Britain have soared since the Brexit referendum, according to Ireland's envoy to the UK.

People who were born in Northern Ireland or Britons who have an Irish parent have an automatic right to Irish citizenship. In some cases, Britons with an Irish grandparent also have an automatic right to an Irish passport.

Ambassador Dan Mulhall said: "The increase this year, the first few months of this year, over last year is up 70% - 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," he added, speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

On average, he said, about 50,000 Irish passports are issued in Britain each year, while as many as 70,000 were issued last year.

Dublin has expressed concern over the possibility of a hard border with Northern Ireland as a result of Brexit. That issue, and efforts to protect the peace agreement, will be an important part of exit talks.

Mr Mulhall said talks over the border in Ireland were "in a good position", due to the recognition on all sides to maintain a soft border after Brexit.

The EU's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, reassured Ireland during a visit to Dublin this month that he will work to avoid a hard border.

Mr Mulhall said a border poll 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."