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Press card in Ireland: NUJ card, accreditation and alternatives

Ireland has no national press card scheme like the UK’s gatekeeper system. Most Irish journalists who carry a press card hold one from the National Union of Journalists, which covers both the UK and Ireland and runs an Irish office in Dublin. For parliament, Garda briefings and events, what counts is accreditation from the body that controls access – usually requested in advance, with photo ID and proof of your work.

This guide explains the NUJ route, how accreditation works at the Oireachtas, with An Garda Síochána and at events, the position in Northern Ireland – and where the FJA card fits for freelancers.

Apply for your press card Check the requirements

At a glance

National scheme: None – no gatekeeper system in the Republic
Main card: NUJ press card (members) – Irish office in Dublin
International card: IFJ card via the NUJ, valid 2 years
Northern Ireland: Part of the UK – UK Press Card scheme applies
FJA card: £82 for 12 months (about €95), free postage to Ireland

How press cards work in the Republic of Ireland

In Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the UK Press Card is issued through the gatekeepers of the UK Press Card Authority. The Republic of Ireland has no equivalent scheme: there is no central authority deciding who is a journalist, and no single card that every Garda station or venue is trained to recognise.

In practice, Irish journalists identify themselves with one or more of the following: a staff ID from their news organisation, an NUJ press card (for members), an international press card, and – above all – accreditation for the specific place or event they cover.

The NUJ press card in Ireland

The National Union of Journalists organises journalists in both the UK and Ireland. Its Irish office is at Spencer House, Spencer Row, Dublin 1 (+353 1 817 0340), led by the Irish Secretary. The NUJ issues press cards to members; in the UK these are UK Press Cards, issued through its gatekeeper role.

The NUJ is also the Irish member of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and issues the IFJ’s International Press Card in Ireland, which is valid for two years.

The NUJ route suits journalists who want union membership as well as a card. Subscriptions are income-related, and you apply for a press card once your membership has been accepted. Contact the Dublin office for the current Irish process and fees.

Accreditation at the Oireachtas (Leinster House)

To cover Dáil and Seanad sittings, contact the Press Gallery in advance for accreditation. The Press Gallery is independent of the Houses of the Oireachtas. For committee meetings and media events, contact the Oireachtas Press Office in advance.

On the day, report to the Kildare Street gate with photo ID. A press card helps you identify yourself, but it is the advance arrangement that gets you in.

Working with An Garda Síochána

The Garda Press Office (Office of Corporate Communications) is the contact point for media enquiries; it is staffed from 7am to 11pm every day (pressoffice@garda.ie, +353 1 666 2032). Garda guidance does not set out a recognised press card, so at incidents officers decide case by case who may approach a cordon.

Carry photo ID and evidence that you are working – a press card, a commissioning email from your editor or your published coverage – and follow directions at cordons. As anywhere, a card gives you no right to cross a police line.

Concerts, festivals and sport in Ireland

Events credential media themselves. Festival and venue press offices, promoters and sports bodies run their own accreditation, usually through an online form that closes well before the event. They typically ask for a commissioning letter from an outlet and links to your recent coverage, and they limit numbers.

For a request template and tips that work in Ireland as well as the UK, see our guide to the media pass for concerts and festivals and to press accreditation.

Northern Ireland is different

Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom, so the UK Press Card scheme applies there. If you work regularly in Belfast or elsewhere in Northern Ireland and qualify as a professional newsgatherer, a UK Press Card through one of the 22 gatekeepers (for example the NUJ) is the card police are trained to recognise. Our guide to the UK Press Card explains who qualifies.

Where the FJA card fits for journalists in Ireland

The FJA card is aimed at freelancers, photographers, bloggers and newcomers who are not NUJ members or who want a simple, verifiable press ID without membership. It costs £82 for 12 months (about €95 – you pay in pounds sterling and your bank converts), £130 for 24 months or £156 for 36 months. Postage to Ireland is free.

You receive a digital card after payment; the printed card is checked and produced within 14–18 working days and usually arrives 3–7 working days later. It is not a UK Press Card, it is not issued by any Irish authority and it does not replace accreditation from the Oireachtas, the Garda or an event organiser.

What the FJA card is – and what it is not

Before you apply, it helps to know exactly where this card fits next to the UK Press Card.

What it is

A photo press card in English for people who work journalistically but fall outside the UK Press Card scheme: freelancers without union membership, photographers, bloggers, creators and people starting out.
Checked by a person before it is printed. Anyone can confirm it is genuine through the QR code on the card (how verification works).
A quick way to show organisers, press offices and venues who you are – alongside your published work and, ideally, a commissioning letter.

What it is not

It is not the UK Press Card. That card is issued only through the 22 gatekeepers of the UK Press Card Authority and is the press ID recognised by the UK police chiefs’ associations. If you qualify for it, get it.
It has no standing in the UKPCA scheme. The UKPCA warns that “press cards” sold by other organisations have no standing or value within its system. That is true for ours too: the FJA card is a separate, openly issued card and we never present it as a UK Press Card.
No card guarantees access. Police, organisers and press offices decide case by case. College of Policing guidance also lets officers accept a letter from your editor instead of a UK Press Card.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an official press card in Ireland?

No. The Republic of Ireland has no national press card scheme. Journalists use NUJ cards, employer IDs, international press cards and event-specific accreditation.

How do I get an NUJ press card in Ireland?

Join the NUJ, then apply for a press card once your membership is accepted. The Irish office in Dublin (+353 1 817 0340) can tell you the current process and fees.

Do I need a press card to cover the Dáil?

You need accreditation arranged in advance through the Press Gallery (for sittings) or the Oireachtas Press Office (for committees and media events), and photo ID on the day.

Does the UK Press Card work in the Republic of Ireland?

The UK Press Card is a UK scheme. In Ireland it is one form of identification among others; there is no Irish rule that requires or recognises it.

Is the FJA card valid in Ireland?

It is a verifiable press ID you can use in Ireland like anywhere else, but it is not an official Irish credential and does not guarantee access.

Sources and last review

IFJ – International Press Card: Ireland – NUJ Irish office, card validity
Houses of the Oireachtas – Accreditation and facilities
An Garda Síochána – Office of Corporate Communications – Garda Press Office
UK Press Card Authority – UK scheme, incl. Northern Ireland
NUJ London Freelance Branch – Joining the NUJ – income-related subscriptions

Written and reviewed by the FJA editorial team. Last review: 23 October 2026. Rules, fees and procedures change – check the linked sources before you rely on a detail.