Press Release
Monday, 22nd April 2002
Minister Launches Euro Changeover Board of Ireland Annual Report

The vast bulk of cash transactions in Ireland were taking place in euro and the changeover to the euro notes and coins was virtually complete by the 8th January 2002, according to the Euro Changeover Board of Ireland’s (ECBI) final Annual Report which was launched by the Minister for Finance, Mr Charlie McCreevy T.D, today, (Monday 22nd April 2002).

The Report, which covers the period from 1st May 2001 to the end of the changeover on 9th February 2002, shows that over €16 million was invested by the ECBI to ensure that the changeover was implemented smoothly, rapidly and with minimum disruption in Ireland.

Congratulating the Euro Changeover Board of Ireland on the success of the campaign, Minister McCreevy said that the people of Ireland changed over from the old currency to euro notes and coins with the minimum fuss and with panache that was second to none.

“The Government ensured that sufficient resources were in place for the ECBI to deliver a comprehensive public awareness programme. Every citizen in Ireland had access to information, advice and assistance during the lead up to the introduction of the euro in 1999 and subsequent changeover to euro notes and coins this year. But it was the people who made it happen. And they made it happen in a way that was praised by the European Commission as among the very best in the EU,” he said.

During the period under review, the Euro Changeover Board of Ireland intensified its activities to facilitate the smooth changeover including advertising, public relations, public information campaigns and the distribution of the Euro Handbook and euro converter to every household in the country.

The ECBI website registered over 400,000 visits during the year and the LoCall number handled over 50,000 calls in the final few months.

Mr Philip Hamell, Chairperson of the Euro Changeover Board of Ireland, said that the Board had delivered on its two basic tasks – to oversee the detailed implementation of the changeover to the euro and to provide public information.

“We worked with a huge number of organisations in Ireland in our efforts to make sure we reached every group, community and household in the country. The Board also co-ordinated its campaign with those implemented by the Central Bank of Ireland, Forfas and the Office of the Director of Consumer Affairs. On behalf of the Board I would like to thank everybody who worked with us and helped us to make this changeover a success,” he said.

The public information campaign included specific campaigns for schools as well as associations and organisations catering for people with special needs. The ECBI euro roadshow visited every county in Ireland from May to November and the ECBI also held a series of regional information sessions in conjunction with the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs.

The Euro Changeover Board of Ireland’s Secretariat, provided by the Department of Finance, also focussed on legislation, public sector preparations and the monitoring of key stakeholders’ preparations for the changeover.

The Euro Changeover Board of Ireland has now been dissolved, though the euro website will continue in existence.