Press Release
Tuesday, 12 January 1999
Minister Mc Creevy launches third phase of
Euro Changeover Board's Public Information Programme

Mr Charlie McCreevy TD, Minister for Finance, today launched the third phase of the Euro Changeover Board of Ireland's (ECBI) public information programme on the euro. The euro came into being on 1 January 1999, when the conversion rate was irrevocably fixed at 1 euro = £0.787564.

The third phase of the ECBI programme focuses on the conversion rate for the Irish pound against the euro and the 1 January 2002 date for the introduction of euro notes and coins. This phase, which will run over the coming weeks, includes a comprehensive TV and radio campaign and press and billboard advertising.

Speaking at the launch, the Minister said "The successful launch of the euro got very extensive coverage in the media and I want to thank everyone involved both in the launch itself and in the coverage of it for the part they played. Now that we are part of the euro zone, it is vital that Further Information & Links about the changeover to the new currency be made available to every citizen. The very extensive ECBI campaign being launched today should meet that challenge".

Philip Hamell, Chairperson of the Euro Changeover Board of Ireland, said at the launch that while the majority of Irish people are already aware of the euro, the next step is to make sure people know what it is worth and when euro notes and coins will arrive.

"Now that the euro has been launched and the conversion rate has been irrevocably fixed at 1 euro = £0.787564, we want to encourage Irish people to think euro. We have three years before euro notes and coins arrive on 1 January 2002, so there will be plenty of time to get used to the idea of the new currency and to the conversion rate," he said.

Following the advertising campaign, in February the ECBI will make available a large supply of paper euro converters (a credit-card sized gadget which will give a number of values for the Irish pound against the euro). A leaflet is also being prepared for distribution to every household.

A nationally-representative survey about the euro will be commissioned following the new campaign to help guide future public information activities.

Mr Hamell said that the campaign, complemented by the ECBI's Aertel page (RTE 1, page 678) and website (www.irlgov.ie/ecbi-euro), should ensure that everybody will see the conversion rate over the coming weeks.

In addition, plans are in place for dual display in the public sector which will further help the public to establish a scale of values in euro:

	Telecom Éireann will begin showing the total amount on bills in both Irish pounds and euro from this month and the ESB and An Bord Gais will begin doing so from mid 1999
	on-line game tickets from the National Lottery will from tomorrow show the euro equivalent beside the Irish pound amount, and dual display on scratch card tickets will start as soon after that as printing schedules permit
	from Spring 1999, tax-free allowance (TFA) certificates from the Revenue Commissioners will show annual and weekly/monthly TFA amounts in both Irish pounds and euro
	Bus Átha Cliath - Dublin Bus will show fare amounts on bus tickets in both Irish pounds and euro from mid-1999. Pre-printed tickets from all three companies in the CIE Group (Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann) will show fares in both Irish pounds and euro from mid-1999
	during 1999, payslips from Government Departments will begin to show the net pay amount in both Irish pounds and euro. In general, other public sector bodies will do likewise
	television licences and renewal notices will show the licence fee in both Irish pounds and euro as soon as possible in 1999
	the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs will produce a leaflet showing social welfare payment rates in both Irish pounds and euro.

Note The ECBI was set up in May 1998. So far, its public information programme has included:

• issuing around 2.5 million public information leaflets, including one to every household in summer 1998
• issuing around 98,000 posters to schools, libraries and public offices
• setting up a website (www.irlgov.ie/ecbi-euro) and an Aertel page (RTE 1, page 678)
• running two advertising campaigns, in June and November 1998
• producing a public information video which is available from public libraries
• publishing the third edition of the National Changeover Plan, available from public libraries and on the ECBI website
• co-sponsoring the six-part TV series Living with the euro on RTE 1, a compilation of which was recently re-run
• producing materials for people with a visual or hearing disability,

For Further Information & Links contact:

Dave Curtin, Carr Communications
Telephone: 01 278 5000 or 087 2832 123