However, Irish law states that you must make an application for asylum at the port of entry - meaning Snowden must actually get to Ireland for his claim to be valid.

Yet more documents from the whistleblower published over the weekend revealed a large-scale spying operation by US authorities on European Union offices in Brussels and Washington.

US President Barack Obama was eager to play down its significance despite calls for an explanation from EU officials.

While making a claim for asylum in Ireland from an airport terminal in Russia would seemingly be automatically rejected, could an exception be made? Is he worthy of protection or would it simply damage US-Irish relations?