There have been no major problems reported today as the Republic switches to the new euro currency.
After three years of planning, millions spent on public awareness campaigns and the biggest banking operation in history, the euro was adopted at the stroke of midnight.
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The various denominations of euro coins which go into circulaiton today |
The punt will remain in circulation until February 9th. It can be used as payment or part payment until then, and both punts and euro will be in use concurrently.
The euro is now legal tender in all countries of the European Union, except Denmark, Sweden and Britain.
The Taoiseach Mr Ahern helped write history today by spending euros in his local newsagents in Drumcondra. He spent "just a few euro" on some milk and three pears in Jim O'Neill's newsagent.
Mr Ahern also bought a €1.20 National Lottery scratchcard that revealed three stars.
"This helps bring a kind of a sense of justice to Europe, and that is what it is all about. It's sharing our identity and part of our sovereignty in the new currency. It's been planned for the better part of a decade, and is a major step," he said.
It was one of a number of shops to open in Dublin today, even though it was a public holiday, and most reported customers keen to use the euro.
At the HMV music shop on Grafton Street, around 25 per cent of the transactions were in the new currency, a spokesman reported.
Earlier, big queues formed outside the Central Bank on Dame Street in Dublin today to receive supplies of euro notes.
At one stage the queue for cash stretched from the front doors of the bank in the centre of the Irish capital for almost 50 metres. Extra tellers had to be brought in to cope with the rush.
Notes only became officially available from midnight, and although businesses were handed reserves in advance, members of the public had effectively to wait until the first cash machines opened again at around 6 a.m. after being re-programmed and having their punts stocks replaced with euros.
But the bank opened specially to hand over the new paper money in exchange for the old variety free of charge - and generated what a spokesman called "a phenomenal and gratifying response."
In what must have been a first for a bank anywhere, people waiting for the notes were served with champagne, hot whiskey and tea and coffee by Central Bank staff as they waited patiently to exchange their punts for euros.
A spokesman said: "We opened at 10 a.m., but people were gathering outside from 7.45 a.m., and the average wait for cash has been about one hour.
"It seems some of them just want to be able to say they were there at the Central Bank on changeover day. We have to close at 4 p.m. and will probably have to stop the queue at some point."