As always on HN, the debate is always stimulating and informative compared to other places. I think you're right about Ireland. There's also a lot more in comm

As always on HN, the debate is always stimulating and informative compared to other places. I think you're right about Ireland. There's also a lot more in common culturally with Ireland than with Portugal, and while Anglo-Irish history is a tricky subject, I would imagine people would take the concept of helping Ireland more seriously than Portugal. Your point about fragmentation is quite interesting to me. Perhaps if Portugal and Spain were 'encouraged to leave' by the EU that might be a politically bitter pill to swallow, but perhaps a financially acceptable solution. After all, a large part of the Eurozone no longer meets the Copenhagen criteria. Unfortunately neither the EC or EU Parliament seem to have any grounding in reality or rational thought.