Irish passport applications surge by almost 50,000

The decision by Britain to leave the EU and the resurgence in outward tourism have contributed to an almost 50,000 increase in passport applications in the first seven months of this year, figures from the Department of Foreign Affairs show.

Up to the end of July there were 503,596 applications for Irish passports — that compares with 454,931, 10.7% less, in the same period in 2015.

The biggest year-on-year increase came in May and can most likely be put down to a surge in the numbers of people deciding to fly abroad for the summer and the Green Army on the march to support the Irish soccer team at Euro 2016.