Post offices running out of Irish passport forms as Brexit fears prompt surge in demand

Irish Passport Service says it will issue more forms across the country

Almost 200,000 applications for Irish passports received from the UK last year (Getty Images)

Post offices in Northern Ireland are running out of Irish passport forms as Brexit fears prompt a surge in demand.

As the date for Britain leaving the EU, 29 March 2019, fast approaches, the number of people looking to apply for Irish passports from across the border has increased.

The Irish Passport Service has said it will issue more forms as post offices across the country have started to run out.

The branch manager of Bangor Post Office in north County Down, Kirsty Longridge, described the spike in demand as “massive”.

"It is Brexit, people don't know what is happening and they want to be prepared," she told the BBC.

Belfast's central Post Office had given out all of their application forms and had none left on 25 January.

Branch manager, Irene Edge, said demand had increased since the beginning of the year.

"High demand, especially in the last few weeks, means there is a stock and delivery issue," she said.

Last year almost 200,000 Irish passport applications were received from the UK, according to official figures.

Since Britain voted to leave the EU the number of UK applications has more than doubled.

In response to the rise of applications, the Irish government increased the number of staff in its passport office.