In The Irish Times Vincent Browne writes under the title: "Ireland left to count the true cost of euro dream".

For Ireland, he says, the crisis has not been just transformative of the society brought about by the Celtic Tiger, it has also been transformative of our relations with the EU. Initially, we were the supplicants, pleading for favours via the Common Agriculture Policy, structural funds, regional policy. Then the model students, obedient and so appreciative.

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Ah! The lure of the free lunch"
I suppose he was hardly likely to say that they have been well & truly shafted...just a teensy weensy little bit shafted

From the Irish Times piece:



That is not true. There was no 'bamboozling' about it. They were told, clearly and unambiguously, about the dangers of signing up to the treaty, and they decided to ignore this because they were told to by most of the authoritative players.

This is the classic hallmark of group-think - where humans may individually know better, but elect to agree with a few 'opinion-leaders'. It is a known failing of human social systems. It is the reason why we have religion. Charlie Mackay wrote his 'Madness of Crowds' book about it. I know of no way to stop it.

A more accurate statement would therefore be: "we bamboozled ourselves"...

I always wondered when the penny would drop.

They now have a new enemy?

Themselves.