Central Bank of Ireland

The Central Bank of Ireland (Irish: Banc Ceannais na hÉireann) is the financial services regulator of Ireland and historically the central bank. The bank was the issuer of Irish pound banknotes and coinage until the introduction of the euro currency, and now provides this service for the European Central Bank.

The bank was founded in 1943 and since 1 January 1972 has been the banker of the Government of Ireland in accordance with the Central Bank Act 1971, which can be seen in legislative terms as completing the long transition from a currency board to a fully functional central bank.

The bank's head office is located on Dame Street, Dublin, where the public may exchange non-current Irish coinage and currency (both pre- and post-decimalization) for euro. This building attracted a lot of criticism, when built in 1980, both for its height and original roofline (in contravention of the planning permission) and for its brash appearance. The Currency Centre at Sandyford is the currency manufacture, warehouse and distribution site of the bank.

Read more about Central Bank Of Ireland:  Functions and Objectives, History, Criticism, List of Governors of The Bank

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