Ireland gets more than it pays out as third biggest recipient of EU funds

IRELAND received more money from the EU last year despite being one of the richest countries in the union.

The country received €1,576m or 1.5% of the €73bn EU budget after paying in €990m making Ireland the third highest recipient. Most of the money went to agriculture.

Ireland's total take was up on 2001 largely because of extra money going to structural funds for the border, midland and western counties, and to agriculture.