Even by local standards, it will be a time of craic and convivial-ity to remember. At the beginning of May, ten newcomers to the European Union will mark their first day as members of the club by joining the 15 older ones for a hearty celebration-in Dublin. The venue could hardly be more appropriate. For anyone talking to politicians from the new member states will know the refrain: "We want to be like Ireland." The Irish-wannabes in central Europe are not thinking about the delights of smoke-free pubs or Celtic music. Ireland has become "Exhibit A" for those who believe that entering the Union can make you much richer. When Ireland "joined Europe" in 1973, its per-capita income was just 62% of the EU average; by 2002 it was 121%. Pat Cox, the Irish president of the European Parliament, says membership "turned us from a stagnant, backward, failed part of the British regional economy into a modern and prosperous European country."
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