Electronic Travel Chess Do I Need An Electronic Passport To Travel To New York In February?

Do I need an electronic passport to travel to New York in February? - electronic travel chess

I'm booking a trip to New York in February 2009 with an Irish passport, issued in 2003. I think a bar code pass, but I need this e-mail instead? People tell me I should do, and they cost 150 euros, which seems a lot to pay when the passport is valid for a further 5 years.