Sir, - Sean O'Diomasaigh and John de Courcy Ireland have lamented the fact that Ireland, alone in Europe, will not be represented at Expo '98.
A party of 20 Irish town planners from the Irish Planning Institute visited Lisbon earlier this month as guests of the Portuguese Planning Institute. During that trip we were taken to visit the site of Expo '98. It was disappointing to see Ireland's absence at first hand.
The theme of Expo '98 is the past and future of the oceans that surrounds us. A total of 139 countries have so far signed up. Many of these are countries from continental interiors without any coastline while others are newly emerging nations obviously with limited budgets. It is sad that our island nation with a tiger economy feels itself unable to go.
This Expo will be different from the last in Seville in that the Portuguese are building the exhibition pavilions and are providing the exhibition space free of charge. Each country has only to pay for its exhibition material and staffing. It is expected that 15,000 journalists will visit Expo '98 next summer. An opportunity to promote Ireland on the world stage has been lost. - Yours, etc.,
From Tony Manahan
Dawson Street, Dublin 2.