<P> An Irish passport is the passport issued to citizens of Ireland . An Irish passport enables the bearer to travel internationally and serves as evidence of Irish citizenship and citizenship of the European Union . It also facilitates the access to consular assistance from both Irish embassies and any embassy from other European Union member states while abroad . </P> <P> Irish passports are issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Dublin . All Irish passports have been biometric since 2006 . In 2015, the Irish government introduced the Passport Card, which enables Irish citizens who already possess a passport, to travel throughout the European Economic Area and Switzerland . An Irish Passport Card is intended for travel and identification purposes and functions similarly to a European national identity card . </P> <P> Both Irish passports and Irish passport cards allow Irish citizens to travel, live, and work unrestrictedly in any country within the European Economic Area and Switzerland . Irish citizens have visa - free or visa on arrival access to 173 countries and territories; the international access available to Irish citizens ranks 5th in the world according to the Visa Restrictions Index . </P> <P> The Irish Free State was created in 1922 as a dominion of the British Commonwealth, modelled explicitly on the Dominion of Canada . At the time dominion status was a limited form of independence and while the Constitution of the Irish Free State referred to citizens of the Free State, the rights and obligations of such citizens were expressed to apply only "within the limits of the jurisdiction of the Irish Free State". The first time Irish passports were used was by the Irish delegation to the League of Nations in August 1923 . </P>

What countries can you work in with an irish passport