The ECM Team is currently focused in the south east and is made up of workers from Britain, Northern Ireland and Australia.

The Republic of Ireland is an independent EU country on 80% of theEmerald Isle, sharing the rest with Northern Ireland, part of the UK. This arrangement has been in place since 1922.

Rapid change - social, economic and religious - has occurred since the 1980s. Social attitudes are more liberal with the influence of Europe, prosperity is increasing and people's allegiance to the Catholic Church has been declining - although still very strong compared with other parts of Europe.

Quick Info:

• Area: 70,280 sq. km
• Population: 4.01 million
• Capital: Dublin
• Population: 1.0 million
• Language: Irish, English
• Website: Discover Ireland

Source Operation World 2001