Sir, - I look forward to the euro and to how its introduction will make it easier to travel around much of Europe. However, I am very concerned about the five- week cut-off period: after February 9th, Irish pounds will no longer be legal tender. There must be thousands of people who will find a £50 note on February 10th. Granny might find £200 under the mattress on February 11th - the money she had been saving for a rainy day.
Is it too late to introduce a system whereby money can be exchanged in banks for up to one year, incurring a handling charge of perhaps 10 per cent? After one year (and surely people will still be finding punts for some time to come) the charge could increase to 50 per cent.
This would prevent many tears of frustration without affecting the rapid change to the new currency. - Yours, etc.,
Jeremy Taylor, Terenure, Dublin 6W.