A chara, - John Lalor (August 20th) seems shocked and dismayed to discover that "what we joined in 1973 has obviously become a political union, not just an economic grouping". Whether or not the legal construction the Irish people signed up for in 1972 was ever just an economic community is debatable. But surely Mr Lalor hasn't forgotten that in 1992 we voted resoundingly in favour of a certain Maastricht treaty on European Union, the very first article of which states "this treaty marks a new stage in the process of creating an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe"? - Is mise le meas,
EAMONN PRENDERGAST, Rue du Président, Brussels.