Sir, - Michael McDowell's statement that in voting "no" to Nice we were not "economic ingrates pulling up the drawbridge on other applicants" is unconvincing. It certainly cuts no ice with the eastern Europeans.
I was in the Czech Republic when the result of the Irish referendum was announced. I tried to explain that the result did not say "no" to them. I did not succeed. Having returned to Ireland and read Mr McDowell's statement, I now realise how self-serving and hypocritical we must appear to the Czechs.
As they see it, we, who were poor for so long, have got our collective snouts in the trough at the rich man's party and we are damned if we are going to let various riff-raff in to spoil it all. Of course, they put it much more politely that that, but the sentiments were clear. I do not know whether in the real world we were right or wrong to vote "no". Having done so, however, why do we have to be so hypocritical about it? - Yours, etc.,
A. Leavy, Shielmartin Drive, Sutton, Dublin 13.