Sir, - Now that the Euro launch date is approaching, there is a problem that needs addressing. It concerns the use of the decimal point in currency transactions between us and other qualifying members.
Mainland Europeans use the comma to distinguish between pounds and pence in their respective currencies where we use the full stop, or dot. On the other hand, we use the comma to break down thousands into easily read amounts. But they use the full stop or dot for this function!
I realise that on the big day we shall all be using the euro. But the problem will be even more pronounced then. Five hundred euros (500,00) in Germany could be mistaken for 50,000 euros here. Conversely, fifty thousand (50.000) euros in Germany could be mistaken for 50 euros here. Could anything be more confusing for a currency designed to unify us?
Incidentally, should there not be an agreed pronunciation for the euro? They pronounce it phonetically as Oy'roh. We pronounce it Your'oh.
We're going to have great fun trying to make sense of the whole thing. Many readers will remember the great decimal riddle. This time around it will be the great Euro riddle! - Yours, etc., Brendan M. Redmond,
Hazelbrook Road,
Terenure,
Dublin 6W.