Social welfare claimants began receiving their first payments in euro yesterday amid delays and lengthy queues at many post offices and a general air of good-humoured confusion.
All benefits were rounded up to the nearest 10 cent as part of the euro conversion, at an overall cost of £6 million to the Department of Social Community and Family Affairs.
The weekly unemployment benefit payments yesterday also included last month's Budget increases for the first time. In previous years social welfare Budget increases were not payable until the following spring or summer.
The first of some 875,000 people claiming weekly welfare payments began collecting their benefits yesterday and will continue tomorrow when pensions and other benefits are distributed.
At the GPO in O'Connell Street, Dublin, and many other local post offices, lengthy queues continued throughout the day.
Most customers in the GPO were social welfare payment claimants, according to an An Post spokesman, Mr John Foley, who explained that a heavy backlog of Christmas business in addition to the euro changeover was responsible for the delays.
He acknowledged that there was confusion among many customers dealing with the euro for the first time, but said transactions were being processed smoothly, and people were generally patient.
Both staff and social welfare customers were "in a learning situation on either side of the counter", he added.
At the post office in Parnell Street a steady queue of about 30 people stretched outside and round the corner into Marlborough Street.
Curious customers grappled with the new currency, with many describing it as toy money or "funny money", while excited children presented pound coins to be changed into €1 coins.
Transactions were taking longer than normal as customers questioned the three counter staff about the new currency.
Mr Eamonn Sullivan from Dublin city centre confessed he hadn't a clue about the clutch of euro notes and coins in his hand as he collected his weekly unemployment benefit of €118.80.
"I'm going to need to sit down to work it out. I'm sure once you buy a pint or a sandwich you'll get the same value and the same buying power," he said.
A pensioner from Avondale House off Parnell Street who was making a payment off her gas bill said she did not understand the new currency.
"I can't get used to it," she said, holding up a €1 coin for inspection.
"I'm sure I will get used to it like the last money we got, when the 20ps came in."
The postmaster, Mr David Dunne, said he had instructed staff to carefully and audibly count out money to avoid unnecessary confusion.
"It's been an educational process, but it's slowing things up," he said.
Social welfare claimants queueing for euros yesterday included people in receipt of Child Benefit.
The universal monthly benefit paid to 525,000 families is normally distributed on the first Tuesday of every month but, as post offices were closed last Tuesday, people began presenting their claims yesterday.
The Department has set up a free phone helpline - 1800 690590 - which operates from 9.30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. on weekdays.