Last year saw 42,808 applications through the foreign births register (FBR), which provides a route to citizenship for those with Irish grandparents or parents, with 23,456 coming from the UK, FT revealed.

The number of applications from the UK was a 15 per cent increase on the previous year and made up more than half of all FBR applications, up from just 12 per cent in 2023.

Reza Nezam, partner at RNL Solicitors, told FT: “The questionable political landscape in Britain is not only causing, but accelerating the search by some to look for a Plan B.

“We expect that the numbers are going to continue to rise as the UK economy continues to be unattractive for the younger generation and those approaching retirement see that there is the prospect of super taxes.”

Úna O’Brien, senior associate at Sinnott Solicitors, added: “It was only really from 2022 that the reality of Brexit took effect and British citizens started to experience harsh [realities of] travel as holders of non-EU passports.

“For some it is a case of wanting an Irish passport simply to avoid the non-EU queues at airports.”