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There has been almost a quarter of a million applications for Irish passports in less than three months.<\/p>\nThere has been almost a quarter of a million applications for Irish passports in less than three months.<\/p>\n
Simon Coveney said that more than 230,000 applications have been received to date this year.<\/p>\n
The T\u00e1naiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs said the figures represent a 30% increase on the same period last year.<\/p>\n
It comes after 2018 proved to be a record year with the highest number (860,000) of Irish passports ever issued.<\/p>\n
Mr Coveney\u2019s department said over 70% of the 2018 applications came from the island of Ireland.<\/p>\n
It also revealed it is expecting a further spike this weekend.<\/p>\n
During St Patrick\u2019s weekend in 2018, more than 2,500 people applied for an Irish passport online \u2013 and based on current trends, officials are expecting that number double this year.<\/p>\n
The figures come on the final countdown to the date the United Kingdom is due to leave the European Union.<\/p>\n
Last month, the passport division of the Irish embassy in London warned that it is \u201cstretched and working under pressure\u201d, and that staffing levels \u201care not sufficient\u201d to meet the rising number of applications ahead of Brexit.<\/p>\n
Comedian Chris O\u2019Dowd predicted in February that scores of Britons will be looking for Irish passports after March 29.<\/p>\n
However, the Department of Foreign Affairs put the spike in applications down to an increase in travelling and a tendency towards early renewal.<\/p>\n
Mr Coveney said extra resources have been allocated to the passport service.<\/p>\n
\u201cGiven the demand we are experiencing significant extra resources have been given to the passport service including hundreds of extra staff for processing and customer service,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n