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Irish citizens what do you think of Brits getting Irish passports?

109 replies

Itscoldouthere · 10/04/2019 22:39

I’d be very interested to know what Irish people think.
I’m a remainer and have always been very happy to be considered European, I lived in London in a multicultural environment and I have never identified with being British and certainly not English.
I’ve just got an Irish passport for myself and my 2 DC, I was born in Ireland, my parents lived there for 12 years, I’m the youngest of 6 we were all born in Ireland, both parents British, but my maternal grandparents were Irish. We left when I was 2 years old so I have no real memories of Ireland.
My husband is Scottish and proud of being so.
He keeps joking that we are fake Irish. He also thinks that Irish people must be pissed off with Brits just wanting to be identified as Irish for the passport.
I think he’s probably right, but would love to know what Irish people think.

OP posts:
TrixieFranklin · 11/04/2019 11:03

My grandparents were Irish born, I've just had a look and it looks like I can apply for citizenship and a passport. I had no idea!

psychicoctopus · 11/04/2019 11:05

I've got one - both my parents are Irish. That makes me an Irish citizen and perfectly entitled to have one. I suppose I have dual citizenship between Ireland and the UK.

BlackAmericanoNoSugar · 11/04/2019 11:12

I'm in Ireland and haven't heard anyone express an opinion one way or the other about people applying for Irish passports. Although it is a bit of a pain just at the moment if you need a renewal as I think that is slow because of the passport office being a bit overwhelmed. Apparently the driving licence office is even worse because people who are living in Ireland with a UK licence will need to have it changed to an Irish one before (if) Brexit happens.

LOL at how we recruit for the Irish football team, and true. Grin

wannabebetter · 11/04/2019 11:13

On a slightly different slant I am slightly pissed off with Brits who have never set foot in Ireland applying under the eligibility of Irish grandparents when my situation is that I've lived in NI for 25 years, married an Irishman, bought property, contributed to the economy and have an Irish son, but because I wasn't born here or have lineage I'm not entitled to one (unless I apply for citizenship and pay €950)

AverageMan · 11/04/2019 11:14

Provided there is that bloodline, I've no issue with granting someone Irish citizenship.

SilverySurfer · 11/04/2019 11:16

It's not Brits getting Irish passports is it, rather it's those with Irish ancestry, ie Irish parents or grandparents. If Leavers have the right to an Irish passport it's up to them if they want to apply or not, so it's not them that can go swivel.

HumpHumpWhale · 11/04/2019 11:16

I don't have a problem with it. Just glad my British born and resident, quarter Punjabi, quarter English, quarter Scottish and quarter Irish kids inherit my citizenship and can get one too!

Youngandfree · 11/04/2019 11:17

@BlackAmericanoNoSugar where did you hear that?? Sur how would ppl from uk hire cars??jesus I’d say their driving license trumps ours to be honest!! 😂😂

ILoveMaxiBondi · 11/04/2019 11:19

If they’re eligible they have an absolute right to apply for one. That’s not really open for discussion is it? Why would it bother Irish people that other people who are entitled to an Irish passport, because they have Irish heritage, (so essentially other Irish people just slightly removed) get an Irish passport? Confused

midsomermurderess · 11/04/2019 11:19

What des it matter? It's the way the country's citizenship laws work.

BlackAmericanoNoSugar · 11/04/2019 11:25

Coming to visit and hiring a car/driving your own is fine with a UK licence, it's people that live here and have a UK licence who need to change it. If you move from one EU country to another you don't need to change your licence to the new country's system until your original one expires. But obviously once the UK isn't EU anymore that won't apply to UK licences. www.ndls.ie/news/149-brexit-update.html

Youngandfree · 11/04/2019 11:26

@BlackAmericanoNoSugar 👍👍

havingtochangeusernameagain · 11/04/2019 13:48

I do think anyone who voted for Brexit shouldn't be allowed one though

Can't disagree with that. Especially the DUP Leave voters in NI! Hypocrisy at its best.

ACoverIsNotTheBook · 11/04/2019 13:58

I am from Northern Ireland and previously always held a British passport, Brexit has brought to the fore my feelings of how little the UK actually think of NI and so I and my family will all be applying for Irish passports, I did however vote remain but don’t really identify as British or Irish, I’m a bit culturally homeless in that sense 🤷🏻‍♀️

IrishMamaMia · 11/04/2019 14:05

I'm Irish and don't have a problem with it at all. Lots of people doing it have strong Irish connections and are entitled to it. I have some English relatives doing it, they all holiday in Ireland anyway so it makes sense for them.

Scabetty · 11/04/2019 14:08

If they get one it’s because they are Irish so odd question.

endofthelinefinally · 11/04/2019 14:09

You can't get one unless you are entitled to it, so I don't see the problem.

MullofKintire · 11/04/2019 14:10

“Brits” are not getting Irish passports. Irish citizens are getting Irish passports. The fact that they are resident in UK and also entitled to a British passport is irrelevant.

If anyone asked on Mumsnet “British citizens what do you think of citizens of country x getting British passports?” they would have their thread erased for racism before 10 minutes elapsed.

Parker231 · 11/04/2019 14:11

If they are entitled to an Irish passport, can’t see any problems only benefits for them. I have an EU passport - from Belgium. Am now so glad I kept it.

RedForShort · 11/04/2019 14:13

If they are entitled to it then that's fine, they are automatic Irish citizens anyway with or without a passport (though not statisticly i guess).

Anyone who need to register on the foreign births is going to have to organise the paperwork and pay - they won't be doing it on a whim.

I suppose the only thing I think is what benefit it they feel it is to them (especially if they aren't living here in Ireland.)

RedForShort · 11/04/2019 14:16

I mean i know it's an EU passport and the British one won't be (in 2056 the way things are going) but it's possible to travel on a non-EU passport still.

LittleChristmasMouse · 11/04/2019 14:21

What are the implications of applying for Irish citizenship though? Is it simply that you get an Irish passport?

Does that make you no longer a British citizen then? Where do you pay tax etc and will you have to apply to be allowed to stay in the UK like EU citizens do?

TalbotAMan · 11/04/2019 14:21

Anyone who can get an Irish passport is, by the laws of Ireland, Irish.

Ireland is a little more generous with its citizenship that some other countries, true, but in my case I was born in England as the child of an Irish DF and an English DM. By the laws of both countries as they then were, I am a citizen of the UK and a citizen of Ireland. Interestingly, as the law then stood, had my parents chosen to have me born in Ireland I wouldn't then have been a UK citizen.

Now they chose to raise me in England, mainly because my DF, a doctor, having left Ireland to find work, was unable to achieve his ambition to find a job back home (and eventually realised that he was better off in England).

Now, I choose to identify as English helped by the fact that I don't have an overtly 'Irish' name and I speak with an English accent I have made my life in England and I only have a UK passport. But fundamentally I inherited dual nationality from my parents and it is my choice as to whether I use one or other of both.

TalbotAMan · 11/04/2019 14:26

alwayscrashinginthesamecar1

I do think anyone who voted for Brexit shouldn't be allowed one though.

I think that Brexit is a good thing for the UK and a bad thing for Ireland. So which way would you have had me vote?

NewFoneWhoDis · 11/04/2019 14:39

If you have Irish ancestry, fine. If you voted Leave then fuck off- even if you have Irish ancestry.