Different type of Eurovision as two camps vie for votes

Feta cheese, Swiss funds, and Greek business. A different type of Eurovision contest was under way yesterday with the yes and no sides throwing all sorts of ingredients into the EU treaty debate while singing from different hymn sheets.

In a cramped room in Buswell’s Hotel, Independent TDs mixed it up early in the day with accusations that Europe would be committing suicide without offering poor Oliver Twist Ireland some more handouts. But there was no sign of Dublin TDs Finian McGrath and Shane Ross, who may have changed their tune after their call for a delay on the vote was shot down last week.

But in the sweeter surroundings of the stately Shelbourne Hotel, businessman Declan Ganley introduced his newest and fairest recruit to his no campaign. Enter Patricia Tsouros, a Greek-Irish businesswoman who proclaims that she has a “good feeling how people feel internationally”.