Staying out of the Second World War was a real declaration of independence

THE controversy over the European Commission’s efforts to compel the 16 euro states to submit their draft budgets to Brussels before presenting them to their respective parliaments made somewhat confused reading this week. Surely this would be an incursion into Irish sovereignty.

When we decided to adopt the euro, we were surrendering a degree of independence. Whether that was good or bad is a different matter. The controversy is reminiscent of much of the posturing that distorted reality and marred our early years of independence.

Arthur Griffith’s idea of Sinn Féin – Ourselves Alone – had appeal in its day, but from an economic standpoint we have long since learned that it was an unrealistic dream. Since then we have had the introduction of air travel, radio, television, and the internet. Only an idiot would wish to cut us off behind some kind of Celtic Curtain.