More than €2bn in circulation for Christmas
The Central Bank has sanctioned the release of €2.2bn for the annual pre-Christmas spend, and Dublin Chamber of Commerce is claiming that spending is already up 10% on last year.
Yesterday was December 8, traditionally a day for country shoppers to visit the capital, and for many the start of the great pre-Christmas spending spree.
Retailers are already reporting customer numbers up substantially on last year, with Dublin Chamber of Commerce now predicting the best pre-Christmas in 10 years.
The total cash in circulation this year is more than Minister for Health Mary Harney will spend next year running the health service, not taking into account the amount that will be accumulated on credit cards.
Some financial expects are predicting that the average household will put more than €1,000 on their cards to pay for this year's festivities.
