IRELAND has risen to fourth place in a global ranking of the world's most powerful passports.
The Irish passport is now one of four countries to share the fourth position in the Henley Passport Index.
The list is published by global residence and citizenship planning firm Henley & Partners, and ranks passports on how many countries they allow holders to travel to visa-free.
Ireland, which was ranked in sixth place last year, has risen to fourth, joining the UK, the Netherlands and Denmark in passport holders being able to access 188 countries across the world.
The British passport last held a fourth place position in 2017, with Henley & Partners saying the UK has "finally turned the corner after a six-year decline".
In 2014, the UK and USA jointly held the top spot in the ranking, and this year the US fell a further two places to the eighth position, which it shares with Lithuania.
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The top spot for 2023 is held by only one country, Singapore, the citizens of which can visit 192 countries without a pre-arranged visa.
It displaced Japan as the highest ranked
Germany, Italy and Spain now jointly hold the third position in the ranking, with citizens able to swiftly access 190 countries.
Last year saw a record 1,080,000 Irish passports issued, with first-time applications in Co Antrim and Co Down higher than any other county outside Dublin.
There has been calls for an Irish passport office to open in the north to handle the growing number of applications.
Welcoming the new ranking for Ireland, Tánaiste and foreign affairs minister Micheál Martin said he was "very proud" of the position.
"The ranking demonstrates again the value and power of the Irish passport and how well it is regarded internationally.
“I would also like to congratulate the staff of the Passport Service as this achievement reflects the major efforts undertaken at all levels to protect the integrity of the passport. Their work ensures that Irish citizens continue to have access to a secure travel document, while also meeting the challenges of increases in application numbers and the need for technological advancement."
