Written answers

Tuesday, 6 November 2007

Department of Foreign Affairs

Passport Applications

9:00 pm

Photo of Charles FlanaganCharles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 230: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of people living in Northern Ireland holding Irish passports; the number of people in Northern Ireland who have opted to hold an Irish passport since the Belfast Agreement; the number of Irish passport holders living in the United Kingdom, excluding Northern Ireland who hold Irish passports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26949/07]

Photo of Dermot AhernDermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Passport Office database records and collates data on applicants by place of birth rather than place of residence. It is therefore possible only to give estimated figures in response to this question.

While it is not possible to provide details on passport holders resident in Northern Ireland it is estimated that approximately 320,000 persons who were born in Northern Ireland currently hold valid Irish passports. The level of demand from persons born in Northern Ireland has been increasing since finalisation of the Good Friday Agreement. Some 58,000 such applications were received in 2006 compared to 15,000 in 1998. Figures to the end of October suggest that the total number of applications in 2007 will exceed 63,000.

The number of current passport holders in Great Britain, is approximately 400,000.

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