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

[Itscoldouthere]

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.

That does seem very unfair Quintella.
Why did his mother's application for residency/citizenship fail?
Where is his father?
I think there have been similar cases in the UK where the parents are illegal immigrants. It is very harsh on the children.

If “Brits” meet the criteria for an Irish passport, then why not? The criteria have not changed.
I have an Irish surname (by birth!)! but I’m the only one of my siblings who can’t get some kind of residence/nationality elsewhere! They were all born in different countries, have lived lengthy periods in different countries or have a one different parent to me.

It put up the renewal time for Irish passports massively. Apart from that, I just think it funny that the staunchly British Northern Irelanders I know are now Irish Yes, they are getting a lot of slagging over it

Why would Irish people be annoyed by people entitiled to an Irish passport getting one? It doesn't dilute the Irishness available for the rest of us! It just undelines the cachet there is in being able to claim being Irish. There's a wide diaspora of Irish people all over the world, and so lots of eligible applicants.

@AllTheFunAndGames - Ireland is not the least bit fussy. The Government are currently seeking to bring back an Irish citizen....or is that an 'alleged' terrorist ISIS bride. It doesn't matter what she did because she too holds an Irish Passport. #notfussy wink

Or alternatively, the Irish take their responsibilities under the UN conventions on statelessness a lot more seriously than some other countries #MoreIntegrityThanSomeOfOurNeighbours

Oh yes Quintella, I did know about that case. Before 2004 he would have had automatic citizenship but the referendum voted to change that (by a big majority).

If i recall there was a lot of fuss back then about 'birth tourism'. Lots of tutting about how non-EU women were giving birth at the bottom of the aeroplane steps and so on.

It's all a bit vague due to my having babies myself at the time and not being able to vote in referendums.

Haven’t read all the reply’s yet but wanted to say to Whitsend that I think you read me wrong, I’m not saying others shouldn’t be able to apply, not saying that at all, I was just wanting to know if people who live in Ireland are pissed off or OK with it.

Brits can’t apply for Irish passports though. Only Irish citizens can apply for Irish passports.

Or is your question “What do Irish people think about Brits applying for Irish citizenship“? Because that’s a different question.

Thank you everyone for your reply’s, all very interesting.
I didn’t mean to offend anyone with the term Brits.
I probably phrased my question slightly wrong.
I’m genuinely interested and glad to hear that most people said it was fine and a reasonable thing to do.
I didn’t realise the situation of some married non Irish born people having to pay so much money to become citizens, that does seem unfair.
I hope it has a positive impact for Ireland, my DC are now very keen for us to visit and I hope to go back to where I was born, some of my elder siblings are regular visitors, so it’s an exciting prospect for me.

I'm Irish. Depends on the person.

A racist, BNP voting, type, then no thanks.

A nice, normal, non racist person..if they meet the criteria, no problem.

One actually had no idea that Ireland was a separate country. Trust me hypocrisy is rife when it comes to this.

Yup I’ve come across this type many times.

I find Leave voters applying for them hypocritical. As for the DUP, utterly abhorrent.

Sorry but what is your husband on about? Is he not aware you are actually Irish?? How can you be “fake-Irish” when you were born there and don’t identify with being English or British?

I’m Irish, living in the UK. One child was born in Ireland and the younger born here in England. They have only Irish passports because I suppose I identify them as Irish, but also I wouldn’t have them with different passport types. That would be all sorts of hassle at Passport Control...

@TalbotAMan You can vote for whoever you like. ! But if you vote leave and then apply for an Irish passport then I will call you a hypocrite! I know there is no way of stopping people from just that, but I wish there was.

And @Silversurfer, as I've stated before I'm Northern Irish and personally know of at least five people in my extended family who were vociferous leavers, and who have now all applied for Irish passports. I'm originally from a DUP stronghold, and the amount of diehard Paisleyites applying would make you sick. So I'm not being at all.presumptuous at all.

Andrew Bridgen MP thought that English people were entitled to an Irish passport because of the CTA.

You do wonder how these people ended up in the HoC.

Oh good grief, sorry about the at all at all. I do not usually type like a comedy Irishman.

www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjoyPHxlcnhAhWTtXEKHTXCDsoQzPwBegQIARAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2Fuk%2Fmy-children-say-i-m-hypocritical-brexit-and-the-irish-passport-rush-1.3814186&psig=AOvVaw1_oEzAAVe_JZaK5w2bqUjG&ust=1555110955314284

I’m jealous. I was brought up to be proud of my Irish ancestry but it was my great grandparents on both sides who are Irish so I have no close enough link to claim citizenship. I don’t see why people considered citizens by birthright should piss off Irish people who live there. Now plastic paddies who only appear mid March are a different matter

Who cares. Nationality is meaningless.

Well, I take that back, nationality can give privialge and advantage to people but to be proud of something that is just luck of the draw is so stupid.

It's rather presumptuous of you to assume that Leavers would even want one. I think you'll find we are very happy with our own nationality and UK passport.

My DM is one of those British Leavers who got an Irish passport. Actually she got hers in order to vote No in the Abortion Referendum, but she's delighted that it will do nicely post-Brexit as well. So to be fair, she has form for voting on things that will never affect her.

Hopefully she wasn't able to carry out her plan of voting in the abortion ref. As you're not eligible to vote if you haven't been resident in Ireland within the last 18 months.

I have met a few English people who are grateful to have found an Irish grand parent in their lineage, who have very little understanding of Irish history and who have shown little respect for the country who will give them the right of freedom of movement within the EU. One actually failed to pick up on the underlying feelings in the room and suggested that 'They' should be grateful for the extra revenue provided by passport fees.

Post Brexit, having an EU passport is going to be hugely advantageous so no wonder people are checking their entitlement. I’m very proud of mine.

@schlerp maybe don’t use the word paddies to refer to the Irish. Even if it is the fake ones you mean. Thanks.