THE upcoming Brexit referendum is causing a significant decline in the amount of UK interest in properties in Ireland. Celia Lamb, head of Country Home and Estates with Ganly Walters, has noticed a stalling period, whereby the second home market has closed down.

“The market for ex-pats coming home to Ireland for various reasons, to educate children or retire, that hasn’t changed. But the UK market regarding people who want to downsize and retire in Ireland has really been affected, because they can’t sell their UK property at the moment,” Lamb explained.