We may be in the age of the euro and the ECB but apparently some junior employees of Irish banks have still to discover the existence of our very own Central Bank. At least that's the experience of the Margin in a recent transaction with National Irish Bank in Dame Street (literally just across the road from the Central Bank.)

The Margin is lucky to own a small amount of Government gilts (inherited from an elderly aunt many moons ago) and gratefully receives an interest cheque (or warrant) every six months from the Central Bank.

So off to National Irish Bank he went to lodge this "warrant" to his bank account. A somewhat bemused young bank official looked at the warrant, looked again, and then asked the Margin: "Is this an English cheque?" A polite request to take a closer look at the Central Bank warrant merely elicited a second query "Are you sure this isn't an English cheque, I've never seen one of these before."

An immensely patient Margin was finally able to persuade NIB that, yes, this warrant was kosher and that, yes, the Central Bank of Ireland did actually exist - just across the road and actually regulated NIB's activities.