Euro to be dominant currency by tomorrow

The euro is expected to replace the punt as the dominant currency in Ireland tomorrow.

According to the Euro Changeover Board, around one-third of cash transactions in Ireland are currently being carried out in euro, but with pensions and social welfare payments made in euro last week that figure is set to rise from tomorrow.

In Dublin, 90% of transactions are now carried out in euro, compared to 20% in some rural areas.

The European Commission has said that around 60 million Europeans, 20% of the eurozone population, now use the new currency.