asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is satisfied with the progress being made in the conversion to metric units.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Metric Conversion.
19.
I see no reason to be dissatisfied with progress to date in making the conversion to metric units. As I explained in reply to a question in March last, considerable progress has been made in the change over and it could be said that much of the economy is now metric, in some sectors exclusively and in others on the basis that it is a freely available alternative to the imperial system. We should have no great difficulty in complying with the EEC Directive on units of measure which imposes the metric system from the end of 1977 with some extensions to the end of 1979 and the possibility of some limited extensions after that. A survey of industry earlier this year showed that 52 per cent of firms were mainly metric. Apart from industry, such areas as education, State purchasing, and the work of State and local authorities generally, are mainly metric. Distributors and consumers have had the benefit of a special committee for some years, and a great deal of promotional material which has had a considerable effect.
I would urge those trades or industries which have not yet changed to plan now for the change which is inevitable and I would also urge the retail sector to prepare now to play its part in helping to effect the change over smoothly and with a minimum of disturbance. With the co-operation of industry, agriculture, distributors and consumers, I have no doubt we can complete the change without the necessity of imposing mandatory cut-off dates for imperial units which would require a change in present Government policy.