The number of applications for Irish citizenship from Scotland have substantially increased following the EU referendum.
Figures obtained by the BBC from the Irish consulate have shown that in the first ten months of 2018 there have been 847 applications for Irish citizenship, 19 times as many as the 45 that there were in 2013.
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The figures from 2018 show a spike in the number of applications for Irish citizenship since 2013.
Prior to the EU referendum, figures were fairly consistent with 56 applications in 2014 and 71 in 2015. Following the referendum outcome, there was a surge of 389 applications in 2016, 762 in 2017 and, in the first 10 months of 2018, 847 applications.
The applications are from people with at least one grandparent born in Ireland.
Fine Gael Senator Neale Richmond encouraged all those entitled to apply for citizenship to do so saying: "We hope that everyone who's entitled to Irish citizenship takes it.
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"They are very, very welcome - if they want to move back to Ireland, that's great. But there's no reason for them to have to move to Ireland.
"Ireland has a population of just five million, with a global diaspora of 72 million. It's something we're really proud of."
It is understood that concerns over free movement and links with the EU have led to the spike in the number of applicants. In order to obtain an Irish passport, citizenship must first be obtained.
The figures don't include those who might have a parent born on the island of Ireland.
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