The campaign to introduce the public to the euro changeover began last week when 1.3 million information leaflets were printed for distribution to every Irish household.
The leaflet illustrates the eight euro coins, ranging from a one cent to a two-euro piece and the seven notes, ranging from five euros to 500 euros. The gradual changeover to using euro notes and coins will take place over a three-and-a-half year period, beginning on January 1st, 1999, when cashless transactions begin.
The information leaflet, `Looking forward to the euro!' has been published by the Euro Changeover Board of Ireland (ECBI) and is now being delivered to households.
The leaflet points out that the second major date during the transition period is January 1st, 2002, when euro notes and coins will be put into circulation, and the withdrawal of pounds and pence begins, followed by July 1st, 2002, when the changeover will be complete. The leaflet drop coincides with the establishment of a general information line as part of the National Information Programme on the Changeover to the Euro.
For businesspeople, a Forfas EMU Business Awareness Campaign has been running since December, 1996.
Forfas has warned that the two greatest dangers facing the business sector are that the amount of changeover work involved will be either underestimated or, on the other hand, overestimated, with firms believing it is beyond their control. But although the euro transition is a more complex process than the change to decimalisation 17 years ago, a first step is to appoint a `euro manager'. Typical problems facing businesses are issues of information technology, dual display, conversion and rounding, legal and taxation, says Ms Yvonne Cullen, assistant project manager of the Business Awareness Campaign. Since January, Forfas has seen the number of queries double to about 25 a week, and, in the past 18 months, they have sent out 85,000 copies of their summary brochure and over 34,000 copies of their information pack. The pack has a series of documents, regularly updated, on planning, impact analysis and checklists covering such areas as marketing, sales and distribution, human resources and accounting and finance. The last document to be included is entitled `What About Sterling', giving advice on dealing with fluctuations in that currency and their impact.
Further information is available from Forfas, Wilton Park House, Wilton Place, Dublin 2. Tel (01) 6073299. E-mail: emuaware@forfas.ie Internet: www.emuaware.forfas.ie
General queries can be made to the ECBI at Lo-Call 1890 20 10 50. Internet: www.irlgov.ie/finance
