Finding the Celtic tiger
From Mr C. Francis Warren Sir: For years Ireland has been cited by the press and media as making itself into 'the Celtic tiger' economy. Bruce Anderson rightly said this has been the result of its being `subsidised on a colossal scale' (Tear city'. 21 July). Unfortunately, by adding the unqualified `The EU has been responsible', he is unwittingly perpetrating the myth that such money is a present from Brussels. It is of course provided by the net contributors, of which Britain is the second largest.
An even worse EU deception is the myth that we ourselves receive such subsidies. This is universally propagated by the rings of stars compulsorily displayed on new developments in Britain involving the EU bureaucracy. In all such cases it is simply some of our own annual £8/10 billion of contributions returned from Brussels — with many strings attached.
Incredibly, this is a basic fact of which many, even among the 'educated', are completely unaware.
C. Francis Warren
Lancaster
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