Written Answers. - Euro Changeover.
Bernard Allen
Ceist:
91
Mr. Allen
asked the
Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment
if she has satisfied herself that small and medium enterprises are prepared for the euro changeover; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
[26712/00]
We are satisfied that the necessary information needed by businesses to prepare themselves for the changeover to the euro has been, and continues to be, made available through the extensive work undertaken by the Forfás EMU business awareness campaign. Since it was established in December 1996, at the request of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, the Forfás campaign has continued with its primary objective, namely the production and dissemination of information to Irish business on issues relating to EMU and the changeover to the euro.
The campaign has produced a comprehensive range of publications that have been widely dis seminated to the business community. To date, over one million Forfás publications, covering a range of changeover issues, have been issued to Irish businesses.
The campaign has been supported by a full programme of activities each year, designed to bring the issue of the euro to the attention of the business community, including activities such as major press and radio advertising campaigns; special supplements on EMU with national publications and articles supplied on the topic for inclusion in EMU features of other publications; stands at exhibitions and conferences; and direct mail exercises, most notably with the Revenue Commissioners.
The primary concern for the awareness campaign is to ensure that each business is made sufficiently aware of the need to have made the changeover by 31 December 2001. Each company is encouraged to determine the likely scale of the changeover operation for their particular business and prepare its plan accordingly.
In relation to the SME sector, the issue of preparedness among small firms has remained a particular focus of attention for the EMU Business Awareness Campaign since its inception. The campaign continues to focus much of its efforts in identifying appropriate mechanisms that will directly target SME companies efficiently and effectively. The small firm organisations themselves, including SFA, ISME and the Chambers of Commerce of Ireland, are fully involved in the campaign through representation on our consultative committee as well as through the various working groups established by the campaign.
There is some evidence from the campaign's latest survey that progress is being made by firms in determining their plans for the changeover and that there is a decreasing tendency to long finger decisions until 2002.
The campaign will continue on-going monitoring of business preparations until the end of 2001. The campaign has been re-examining the key indicators used to date to benchmark the progress of firms in relation to the changeover and a revised questionnaire is currently being pilot-tested in advance of the main fieldwork for the next dedicated survey, which will take place before the end of this year. This will be followed by a further two dedicated surveys in 2001, most likely in January and June. These main surveys will also be supplemented by shorter questionnaires conducted at bi-monthly intervals throughout 2001, which will allow for a more detailed examination of specific issues raised in the main surveys or provide an indication of progress on a particular indicator. It is also intended that the bi-monthly surveys will serve to monitor, in particular, the progress of retail sector preparations. The findings from all of these research studies will continue to assist in providing direction to the work of the campaign.
A significant development in the EMU Business Awareness Campaign, and one that is particularly important in connection with SME firms, was the launch of the Loughrea Euro Town Project in March of 1999. The project is intended as a demonstration exercise whereby the business community throughout Ireland will learn from the experiences of businesses in Loughrea as the latter change over to euro-based trading on an accelerated basis. Thirty firms are participating in the project and all are now at various stages in implementing their changeover plans. A number of firms have already switched to euro-based trading. Information on the progress of the project participants, their experiences in drawing up and implementing their changeover plans, and in identifying and dealing with the difficulties that they encountered, is posted on the project web-site, which has recently been re-designed, to take full account of the evolution of this project.
As the awareness campaign enters its final and most critical phase of operation and the countdown begins to the full changeover with the introduction of euro notes and coins on 1 January 2002, its activities will intensify. In addition, a special emphasis is currently being placed on key business sectors, particularly the retail sector which will be significantly involved in the changeover to euro cash. However, as I have said before, ultimately it is the responsibility of each firm to ensure that they are able to conduct their business in euro from 1 January 2002 and the campaign can only assist in providing the necessary information that will assist them to be ready for the changeover on time.
