I was born in northern Ireland and hold a British passport from birth so surely I already am a permanent resident

Hi everyone, I am applying for EEAPR for my wife (Thai national) as a dual national of uk/Ireland carrying both passports. My wife has lived with me in NI for 5.5 years, her uk residence card eea law expired in dec 2016 but as she was here before the McCarthy case she can apply. My question is, in t...