Sir, - John de Courcy Ireland has rightly highlighted the unanswered question surrounding our participation at Expo '98, the last universal exposition of the century (November 5th). Events repeat themselves, it would appear.
This year sees the 60th anniversary of the great International Exhibition of Paris, which attracted more than 13 million visitors in 13 weeks. The French newspaper La Fleche, said at the time: "In twenty-four hours one can see the entire world . . . The nations rushed to answer the official invitation to be represented; you have merely to name the European countries that are absent: Ireland, Andorra, Danzig, Iceland, Liechtenstein and San Marino. It is unnecessary to stress the point."
Then, too, there was the same "unanswered question". The answer may, however, be found today in the National Archives, in a letter dated January 13th, 1936, from the Secretary of the Department of External Affairs to our Minister in Paris: "I am to state that the Ministers for Agriculture and for Industry and Commerce have considered the question of participation in the exhibition. They have reached the conclusion that the possibilities of trade development between the Saorstat and France would not justify the expenditure involved in such participation. The French Minister [Ambassador] was informed of this decision when he called at this office on the 9th instant."
It is worth noting that in 1936 our commerce with France resulted in a 10 to one exchange in her favour, the Saorstat taking £459,657 worth of goods and France £45,997. A contemporary newspaper editorial, expressing the hope that on future occasions such opportunities would not be allowed to slip, read: "Ireland cannot afford to take a back seat, or no seat at all, when the nations assemble as they do at the Paris exhibition."
Plus ca change? - Yours, etc.,
From Shane O'Toole
Irishtown, Dublin 4.