Over 10,000 Irish citizens living in the U.S. applied for Irish passports last year according to statistics released last week by the Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheal Martin.

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, 13,202 passports were granted to Irish people residing in the U.S. in 2007. This number accounts for 20 percent of Irish passports issued to Irish people living abroad last year.

The U.S. ranks in second behind Britain, which makes up 45 percent of the applications from abroad, for Irish people applying for passports from the Irish government.

Australia, which ranks third, represented 6 percent of the issued passports.

Martin, who was in the U.S. recently and met with hundreds of Irish citizens, said that having Irish citizens who reside in the U.S. applying for a passport with the "official emblem of the Harp," underlines the fact that tens of thousands of Irish people living in big cities live New York, Boston, San Francisco and Chicago are proud to still travel under their Irish citizenship.

"An Irish passport is held in high regard worldwide. The fact that so many people living in the United States have opted to travel with our passport in their pocket not only underlines its universal standing, but also that so many people living in America are proud to call themselves Irish," said Martin.

Martin, who said he was "honored" to attend many Irish community events during his recent visit to Washington D.C. and New York, added, "We are working to ensure the relationship is one that benefits not only the Irish American community but also both our countries."

"Following political meetings during my recent visit I now look forward to welcoming a number of American public representatives to Ireland and building a relationship for the future.

"I welcome this figure and congratulate those who have received their passports and wish them safe travels ahead," he concluded.

To obtain information on applying for an Irish passport, one can call either the Irish Embassy in Washington, D.C. or the Irish consulates in New York, Boston and San Francisco.

Details are also available online at the department's website on www.dfa.ie.