A former physiotherapist has been refused Irish citizenship, after living there for seven decades.

United Kingdom-born Jane Dick moved to Ireland with her family when she was three years old.

Until Brexit happened and the UK voted to leave the European Union in June 2016, she never felt the need to swap her British passport for an Irish one.

The former physiotherapist is now retired, after spending her whole career working in the Irish health service.

Her husband, Dr Christopher Dick, worked as a medic for Guinness.

Jane Dick told the Irish Times that she now feels uncertain as to her place in the world

“I am European,” she said. “I go backwards and forwards to France and now they are looking more closely at passports. My husband goes on and I am left standing there with my British passport.”

The Department of Justice refused her citizenship application in December 2017 because she had spent 108 days outside of Ireland in 2016.

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She admits she was away for lengthy periods, mainly to visit her son and his children who live in the United States.

“I am distressed and I am very upset,” she said, adamant that Ireland is the only home she has ever known.

If she remains within Ireland for all but six weeks of 2018, she may be eligible for citizenship should she apply again. She maintains that a big part of retirement for her and her husband has involved making plans to travel - which now must be put on hold.

“That was our big mistake, we should have stayed at home,” Dr Dick told the publication. “It’s like a punch card system and she fell through on the first part.”