However, the borrowing costs of Portugal and the Republic of Ireland still remain at levels that suggest markets think they too are likely to default in the next five years.

Whitehall officials said the call with the coded warning came from a number in the Irish Republic on Sunday evening.

That would be like trying to claim that Zhang Ziyi is Japanese in order to give her a Japanese award. Naturally, this hasn't gone down very well in the Republic of Ireland.

The survey, which questioned 5,820 adults in nine European countries including Scotland, Wales and The Republic of Ireland, found that The Netherlands was the most patriotic European country。

In other respects the Irish Republic appears to be a civilised country, in this case it looks barbaric.