Ireland isn't really part of Europe.
There's an argument I've never heard before.
It also allows me to point to the National Geographic Global Geographic Literacy Survey which demonstrated 11% of Americans couldn't find America on a map.
(Not that I'm accusing you of geographic ignorance.)
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/geosurvey/index.htmlIn respects to government policies and the like I would have to say that Ireland is probably the most socially conservative place in Western Europe.
And not that I necessarily agree or disagree with this proposition, but just being interested on outside perspectives, why do you think this?