Sir, - John Cradden informs us (February 28th) that the euro will become the currency of Ireland on January 1st 2002. Your correspondent is obviously unaware that the euro is the currency of Ireland and has been since January 1st 1999. The Central Bank of Ireland carried out its last transaction in punts on December 31st 1998.
Punts, of course, are still in circulation but, as George Lee, RTE's economic correspondent put it so well some time ago, the pound in your pocket is not really a pound at all - it is one euro and 27 cents. The significance of January 1st 2002 is that euro notes and coins will become available on that date and punts will cease to be legal tender shortly thereafter.
Perhaps it is time for The Irish Times to live to its own slogan: Keep up with the changing times. - Yours, etc.,
Padraic Sheridan, Upper Clanbrassil Street, Dublin 8.