THE IRISH Government’s failed certificate of heritage scheme is to be discontinued next week.
The Government confirmed that the scheme had a considerably lower uptake than expected – with just 3,000 sold since its inception in 2011.
Unframed certificates were sold for €45, with a framed version retailing at €120.
No more of the certificates will be sold after August 24.
Over the four years of the Certificate of Irish Heritage scheme, the Irish Government presented them to the likes of former US President Bill Clinton and actor Tom Cruise.
But the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that it was never considered a serious money-spinner for the Government.
“The Certificate was a practical expression of the importance the Government attaches to recognising people of Irish descent and encouraging people to trace their roots,” the DFA said.
The certificates was most popular with the Irish Americans, who bought 1,615 over the past four years.
In Britain, 210 were sold, with Canadians and Australians buying 391 and 422 apiece.
The first year of the scheme was the most popular, with around 1,000 certificates sold but so far in 2015, just 180 certificates were purchased.
See the national breakdown in full here
| Country | Totals |
| Albania | 1 |
| Algeria | 1 |
| Argentina | 28 |
| Australia | 422 |
| Austria | 1 |
| Bahrain | 1 |
| Belgium | 1 |
| Canada | 319 |
| Chile | 1 |
| Czech Republic | 4 |
| France | 5 |
| Germany | 5 |
| India | 1 |
| Ireland | 232 |
| Italy | 1 |
| Japan | 1 |
| Mexico | 5 |
| New Zealand | 47 |
| Norway | 1 |
| Oman | 1 |
| Panama | 1 |
| Singapore | 1 |
| South Africa | 12 |
| South Korea | 1 |
| Spain | 2 |
| Switzerland | 1 |
| Ukraine | 1 |
| United Arab Emirates | 1 |
| United Kingdom | 210 |
| Uruguay | 1 |
| USA | 1615 |
| Zimbabwe | 1 |
See More: Certificate Of Irish Heritage
