Irish described as "very anxious Europeans"

RAMPANT tourism is what will stop visitors coming to Ireland, and not the problems in Northern Ireland, a Danish journalist has told the Humbert Summer School.

Mr Niels Lindvig, a foreign editor on Danish radio, said the numbers of EU visitors coming to the country showed that "Europe loves Ireland". But he warned that it was a "lethal love" that could "squeeze the heart" out of the country.

In 15 years of visiting Ireland he had never seen so many people in the west as he had this year, Mr Lindvig said. But there were increasing numbers of discouraged tourists who searched in vain for that "Irish craic or Irishness".

He contrasted Ireland with Norway which rejected membership of the EU. "Norwegians are still madly in love with themselves, their country and their ideals," he said. They believe they are ready to take Europe on.

By comparison, "for Ireland there is an element of identity seeking within the EU framework". He described the Irish as very anxious Europeans, not least as long as the structural funding is in place. The view in Nordic countries is that "you have taken us for the money".