Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 5 Jul 2001

Vol. 540 No. 3

Written Answers. - Euro Changeover.

John V. Farrelly

Question:

129 Mr. Farrelly asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the widespread confusion there will be for elderly people when the euro currency changeover takes place on 1 January 2002; if he will help these elderly people; if the Government will provide free calculators to make it easy for people to convert the amounts; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this has been done in other countries in the EU for all those over 65 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19935/01]

Minister for Finance (Mr. McCreevy)

Extensive information activities have been carried out with a view to enabling the public, including older people, to make a smooth transition to the euro. The Euro Changeover Board of Ireland, ECBI, has been running national television, radio and newspaper campaigns. These campaigns have particularly targeted media, and times, aimed at reaching groups at risk of low awareness, including older people. The board has also carried out other extensive public information activities since its establishment in 1998. These have included distributing a leaflet to every household every year since 1998, including earlier this year; widespread circulation of leaflets and posters otherwise; provision of a LoCall enquiry line; and provision of materials for people with low awareness of the euro including a number of conversion charts, some of which are particularly suitable for older people with visual impairment. The ECBI has also produced a euro bingo game which is proving popular with older people.

In 1998 the board set up a consultative panel of organisations representing people in low-awareness groups or people likely to have special needs for the changeover, in order to help identify their needs, advise on how they should be met and help in meeting them. The Irish Senior Citizens Parliament, the National Council for Ageing and Older People, Age Action Ireland, Age and Opportunity and Muintir na Tíre represent older people on this panel. Information materials have been widely distributed through the networks of organisations represented on the panel. In addition, in 1999 the ECBI sent an information pack on the euro to over 900 centres for older people around the country. The information pack included posters, information leaflets and a public information video. The board also distributed information packs to every citizens information centre and money advice and budgeting centre in the country.

Last year the ECBI established a committee of Departments dealing with low-awareness customers, including social welfare pensioners and public service pensioners. Specific information has been sent to such customers by a number of Departments and more is planned. The Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs is at present distributing a leaflet entitledSocial Welfare, the euro and You to every household in the country. Also, pension books issuing in October 2001 will include information on the euro, as will a newsletter going out to pensioners and a euro mailshot going to all customers in November 2001. Civil and public service pensioners are being catered for by the relevant Government Departments paying them. The Paymaster General's office has already provided detailed euro information to civil service pensioners in its most recent newsletter issued in June and plans to provide additional detailed information later in the year. Additional information will also be provided by the retired pensioners' association. Retired teachers will receive euro information with their payslips in August 2001 and retired teachers' associations will produce association magazine articles on the changeover. Other public service pensioners being provided with euro information over the coming months include Garda pensioners, defence forces pensioners and forestry pensioners.

The ECBI also runs a programme whereby funding assistance is provided for activities by NGOs promoting euro awareness. This programme has been in operation since 1998 and has, in the four tranches completed to date, supported a number of organisations representing the needs of older people. In the latest and fifth tranche, nine projects approved for funding have been put forward by NGOs specifically representing older people. Many of the rest of the approximately 160 approved projects are from community and voluntary groups which would cover older people among others.

Public information activities on the euro are increasing as we get closer to January and will increase further from September onwards. In particular, the ECBI will send a handbook on the changeover to every household in the country in the autumn. I am pleased to tell the Deputy that the ECBI has gone to tender for the production of 1.5 million handheld electronic euro converters that will convert Irish pound amounts to euro and euro amounts to Irish pounds in a simple, easy-to-use manner. The aim is that the converters will be distributed free to every household in the country in November 2001.