Post Office runs out of application forms for Irish passports in wake of Brexit vote
Up to six million Brits may be eligible for the travel document through family ties
THE shock vote to ditch the European Union has led to a panic dash for Irish passports - leading to one Post Office running out of application forms.
Thursday's referendum result has led to huge queues in Northern Ireland of people applying for Irish passports.
In Northern Ireland, only certain post offices have these forms - and yesterday one in Belfast ran out completely.
Twitter user @Saraita101 snapped a photo of a sign in a post office on Bridge Street which revealed all their forms had gone.
The sign read: "Due to the increased demand for Irish Passport Forms we have currently run out.
"We have an emergency order to meet the extra demand coming on Tuesday 28th June."
There were also long queues at the Irish Passport Offices in London and Dublin as up to six million Brits may be eligible for the switch.
I don’t want to lose my freedom to live and work in 28 different countries and hopefully my Irish grandma will help me
Jonathon Potts, London
At the passport office in London, Jonathon Potts, of South London, told the Irish Times: "I don’t want to lose my freedom to live and work in 28 different countries and hopefully my Irish grandma will help me."
Anyone with a parent born in either the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland has an automatic right to Eire citizenship.
Those with an Irish grandparent - or even great-grandparent in certain circumstances - can claim a passport if they register with the Dublin authorities.
The London passport office reportedly took on an extra 200 staff earlier this year to cope with demand in the event of Brexit .
And applications were up even before the result, with 25 per cent more in the first six months of 2016 compared to last year.
It comes amid calls for a vote on a united Ireland after Northern Ireland voted in favour of Remain.
Irish Foreign Minister Charlie Flanagan said: "I share the view that at some stage in the future that the unification would be in the best interests of the people but only when there is a majority consent of the people in Northern Ireland.
"We now have a situation following the referendum, where the UK is leaving the European Union.
"Any further referendums in Northern Ireland would cause a greater level of division than we have now and is therefore in my view particularly unhelpful."