Sir, - The Euro Changeover Board of Ireland is currently engaged in a major publicity campaign involving press, radio, television and outdoor advertising, focusing almost exclusively on the conversion rate between the euro and the Irish pound.
I may well be alone in this but I am unable to understand the necessity for, or the purpose of, this obvious very expensive exercise. Bearing in mind that for the vast bulk of the population the euro will have little relevance until January 1st, 2002, I doubt very much if this campaign will either make people "think euro" or result in them doing a quick mental conversion at the rate of £0.787564 every time they see an amount in euros over the next three years.
All in all, it seems to me to be an exercise in futility (both in timing and content) and I strongly suspect that it is just another example of government agencies spending taxpayers' money in order to create the impression that they are actually doing something. - Yours, etc., M. D. Kennedy,
Silchester Park, Glenageary, Co Dublin.