We used to be very poor, we then in the 80's worked together and made hard decisions and made sacrafices to build a better future. We need to do that again, but we are not the same people, the wealth has made us selfish and greedy and nobody is willing to give up anything for the greater good like we did before.
The Lisbon treaty was an example, people didn't vote yes because they didn't think we were getting anything like the money the Mastricht treaty got us. The view we've got all we can from the EU, we sure as hell ain't going to contribute anything.
Ireland is full of greedy cowards now. We're a changed people, it disgusts me.