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Currency Board or Central Bank? Lessons from the Irish Pound's Link with Sterling, 1928-79

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  • Honohan, Patrick

Abstract

There has been a resurgence of interest in currency boards as a possible approach to achieving a stable currency in newly established or hyperinflationary financial systems. This paper draws attention to one of the more successful currency board experiences, namely that of Ireland. We review the institutional arrangements which underpinned the Irish pound for a half-century and consider the benefits and costs which resulted. While the regime did have a credibility which led to low interest rates and a degree of price stability, its resilience was partly due to the large additional foreign reserves held by the private banking system and partly to the weakness of sterling, to which the Irish pound was pegged. As a result, the inflexibility of the system was not severely tested. An attempt in 1955 to evade the interest rate discipline of the regime was quickly punished, however, with far reaching policy consequences.

Suggested Citation

  • Honohan, Patrick, 1994. "Currency Board or Central Bank? Lessons from the Irish Pound's Link with Sterling, 1928-79," CEPR Discussion Papers 1040, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:1040
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. FitzGerald, John & Honohan, Patrick & FitzGerald, John & Honohan, Patrick, 1996. "Overall Macroeconomic Assessment," Book Chapters, in: Baker, Terence J. (ed.),Economic Implications for Ireland of EMU, chapter 6, pages 143-169, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    2. Kevin H. O'Rourke & Alan M. Taylor, 2013. "Cross of Euros," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 27(3), pages 167-192, Summer.
    3. Jason Lennard & Seán Kenny & Emma Horgan, 2023. "Banks and the Economy: Evidence from the Irish Bank Strike of 1966," Discussion Papers 2402, Centre for Macroeconomics (CFM).
    4. Baker, Terence J. & FitzGerald, John & Honohan, Patrick, 1996. "Economic Implications for Ireland of EMU," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number PRS28, June.
    5. Duggan, Delma & FitzGerald, John & Johnston, Justin & Kavanagh, Ella & FitzGerald, John & Honohan, Patrick, 1996. "Macroeconomic Response to Shocks," Book Chapters, in: Baker, Terence J. (ed.),Economic Implications for Ireland of EMU, chapter 5, pages 105-142, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    6. SL Mollentze, 2002. "The Suitability Of A Currency Board For An Emerging Market Economy," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 70(1), pages 1-28, March.
    7. Julda Kielyte, 2002. "Exchange rate arrangements in the run-up to the EMU: some experience in currency board countries," EERI Research Paper Series EERI_RP_2002_01, Economics and Econometrics Research Institute (EERI), Brussels.
    8. Kelly, Jane & FitzGerald, John & Honohan, Patrick, 1996. "The Tourism Sector," Book Chapters, in: Baker, Terence J. (ed.),Economic Implications for Ireland of EMU, chapter 11, pages 321-338, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    9. Morgenroth, Edgar & FitzGerald, John & FitzGerald, John, 2006. "Summary and Conclusions," Book Chapters, in: Morgenroth, Edgar (ed.),Ex-Ante Evaluation of the Investment Priorities for the National Development Plan 2007-2013, chapter 24, pages 317-333, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
      • Baker, Terence J. & FitzGerald, John & Honohan, Patrick & FitzGerald, John & Honohan, Patrick, 1996. "Summary and Conclusions," Book Chapters, in: Baker, Terence J. (ed.),Economic Implications for Ireland of EMU, chapter 12, pages 339-352, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    10. Baker, Terence J. & Duffy, David & Duggan, Delma & FitzGerald, John & Honohan, Patrick, 1996. "The Manufacturing Sector," Book Chapters, in: Baker, Terence J. (ed.),Economic Implications for Ireland of EMU, chapter 7, pages 174-221, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    11. Baker, Terence J. & FitzGerald, John & Honohan, Patrick & FitzGerald, John & Honohan, Patrick, 1996. "Introduction," Book Chapters, in: Baker, Terence J. (ed.),Economic Implications for Ireland of EMU, chapter 1, pages 1-9, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    12. Honohan, Patrick & FitzGerald, John & Honohan, Patrick, 1996. "Adapting to Regime Change," Book Chapters, in: Baker, Terence J. (ed.),Economic Implications for Ireland of EMU, pages 10-36, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    13. Duggan, Delma & FitzGerald, John & Johnston, Justin & Kelly, Jane & FitzGerald, John & Honohan, Patrick, 1996. "The Macroeconomy in Stable Conditions," Book Chapters, in: Baker, Terence J. (ed.),Economic Implications for Ireland of EMU, pages 50-86, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Central Bank; Currency Board; Exchange Rate Regime; Ireland;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E42 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Monetary Sytsems; Standards; Regimes; Government and the Monetary System
    • E58 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Central Banks and Their Policies
    • F31 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Foreign Exchange

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