The widespread availability of Irish passports is being blamed for a poor take up of Certificates of Irish Heritage.
It is also understood that it is easier to qualify for an Irish passport than it is for a Certificate of Irish Heritage.
“You have to prove Irish ancestry,” an applicant said. “But you get a free Irish passport with every donation to the Friends of Israel.”
“Feckin Israelis,” a spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs said. “Those certs are the country’s only source of income.”
A mere 130 people have been issued with the certificates since the scheme began in September.
