Can anyone explain just why everyone seems so keen to expand the EU to include Poland , the Czech Republic, and all the others? Even the Tory party, most Euro-sceptic of Britain's major parties, seems keen. I (you may deduce) am not.

I think that the Irish referendum is a breath of fresh air - both for the fact that at least one country offered its citizens the right to have a say and also for the result. But then, I'm not just Euro-sceptic but Euro-phobic, if the Euro bit of the word implies a political entity, or economic and monetary union, or a United States of Europe, or, indeed, anything other than a geographic continent.

But I saw a report that Bertie Aherne, on learning the result, had said (I paraphrase) "Not to worry: we'll hold another referendum and, if necessary, another one after that, until we get the answer we're looking for." And then, presumably, stop. Funny idea of democracy he seems to have.