THE UK DID not ask the Irish government for permission to award honours to five Irish citizens, contrary to convention.

The constitution states that “no title of nobility or of honour may be accepted by any citizen except with the prior approval of the Government”.

However, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin has revealed that in the last 30 years, seven honours out of 19 were conferred without permission from the state. Five honours were from Britain and two were from Antigua and Barbuda.

“The standard practice is that the relevant accredited diplomatic mission would notify my Department in advance of the conferral of the award,” Martin said in response to a parliamentary question by Green Party TD Patrick Costello.

Titles of nobility or honours that require permission include anything with the prefixes ‘Sir’, ‘Dame’, ‘Lord’ or ‘Marquis’. 

Any perks or responsibilities that come with the titles are only applicable in the country where they were conferred.

In July of this year, Britain extended two knighthoods and one damehood to Irish citizens, before it was brought to the attention of the Irish government.

A damehood was also conferred last year without prior permission.

Another knighthood was granted in 2006 without approval.

In the cases of awards conferred by the UK, all recipients have been dual Irish-British citizens.

There is currently no way to retrospectively approve an honour that was already conferred without government permission.

There are no penalties for failing to get prior approval to confer or receive an honour or title.

However, Martin said that the Department of Foreign Affairs “regularly reminds the authorities of countries concerned that the prior approval of the Government should be sought”.