Madam, - Apparently Ireland is widely considered to be an E "success story" and role model for some of the smaller accession states.
Perhaps we can suggest a few specific goals to help some of these countries emulate our "success": most expensive house prices in Europe by 2008, say; pandemic waste problem by 2010; unsustainable urban sprawl around Ljubljana, Riga, Vilnius or Bratislava by 2012.
Once these targets have been reached, the appreciative citizens of these small nations can, just like us, enjoy some of the fruits of being a European "success story"; a massive and ever-increasing divide between rich and poor, a crippled health service and perennial gridlock in the capital city.- Yours, etc.,
STEWART KELLY, Connawood Green, Bray, Co Wicklow.