> I don’t know why Ireland doesn’t have them but they have derogations from all the EU laws about it, though their passport card is essentially an EU ID card co

> I don’t know why Ireland doesn’t have them but they have derogations from all the EU laws about it, though their passport card is essentially an EU ID card complete with chip. Due to the track record of the RIC, the British police prior to independence (and something that continued in NI until the 90s with the RUCs to keep the idea fresh), there is decently strong opposition to ID cards on the idea that police could demand them to harass people. It's also why most Gardai (Irish police officers) are unarmed, though I think the rising perception of petty crime in Dublin has swung the pendulum somewhat on that topic.