Number of Britons Seeking Irish Citizenship Surges 1,200%: Report 

WELLS, ENGLAND - AUGUST 02: In this photo illustration a Irish passport is seen with United Kingdom passports on August 2, 2017 in Wells, England. Applications for Irish citizenship from people in the UK with Irish ancestry has doubled since the Brexit vote as people seek to secure an EU identity after Britain leaves the European Union. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images) Photographer: Matt Cardy/Getty Images Europe , Getty Images

Morwenna Coniam, Bloomberg News

Jun 27, 2022

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(Bloomberg) -- The number of British people granted Irish citizenship has soared almost 1,200% since the UK voted to leave the European Union in 2016, the Irish Times said, citing government figures. 

Some 1,191 British people were granted Irish citizenship last year, compared with 54 in 2015, the Dublin-based newspaper reported on Monday, citing Ireland’s Justice ministry. 

Successful applications from Britain accounted for 12% of the total applications in 2021, up from less than 1% in 2015, the newspaper said. Last week, Oscar-winning film producer David Puttnam was formally naturalized as Irish, according to the Irish Times. 

The figures do not include Northern Irish applicants. 

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