Madam, - Unlike John Waters (Opinion, June 27th) or Anthony Coughlan, I am an enthusiastic supporter of both the European idea and the progress achieved by Europe over the past several decades. However, I am not one of the mythical "elite" that is now being blamed for all things negative about Europe.
Instead I have worked in private industry for almost three decades, worked mostly in multinational companies whose products were destined for the European market. I now work in a building products company whose success is due in large part to low interest rates - a direct result of German low interest rates translated into the Euro rates.
In the past few years I have managed to visit a number of European countries with no visa restrictions and almost always using the same currency. I have nothing but praise for the French road network, the Spanish beaches, and the excellent public transport of Italy and the Czech Republic.
I have also made a point of visiting the graveyards of the Somme just to remind myself of what is was like when we had old-fashioned dirigisme and extreme nationalism in Europe and to reflect on who paid the price for those ideologies.
It is a long way from the poverty of Tipperary in 1960s Ireland, a long way from the efforts to find accommodation in Shepherd's Bush, London in 1974, where one was met with signs of "No blacks or Irish". If Ireland's soul (whatever that is) is being lost in all this, I doubt that Europe is to blame. The cause is more likely to be found in the arrogance and over-confidence of Ireland's new-found wealth.
Indeed, some are even arrogant and naïve enough to believe it would all have happened without the idea of Europe or its co-operative efforts over the past 50 years. - Yours, etc,
JOSEPH RYAN, Keelgrove, Ardnacrua, Co Clare.