<P> During the First World War and after the Easter Rising, Charles A Stanuell, former President of the Statistical and Social Inquiry Society of Ireland published a paper advocating the use of the metric system and a decimal currency in the UK, of which Ireland was then a part . </P> <P> Metrication began in the State in the 1970s and by 2005 was almost completed; the only exception being that the imperial pint (568 ml) is still used in bars for reasons of tradition . The phrase a "glass of beer" is a colloquial expression for a half - pint (284 ml). All other places must sell liquids measured in millilitres and litres . </P> <P> Distance signs had displayed kilometres since the 1970s but road speed limits were in miles per hour until January 2005, when they were finally changed to kilometres per hour . Since 2005 all new cars sold in Ireland have speedometers that display only kilometres per hour; odometers generally became metric as well . </P> <P> The metric system is the only system taught in schools . Beginning in 1970, textbooks were changed to metric . Goods in shops are labelled in metric units . </P>

When did ireland change from miles to kilometers