900 million euro coins and 243 million euro notes are being made at the Currency Centre in Sandyford, Co Dublin for distribution late next year; 2,000 coins are being minted per minute.

One euro is worth £0.787564, or just under 79p. As a rule of thumb, subtract a quarter from the euro price to get an idea of the value in Irish pounds.

The euro notes will come in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500. The euro coins will come in denominations of 1 cent, 2 cents, 5 cents, 10 cents, 20 cents, 50 cents, 1 euro and 2 euros. There are 100 euro cents in one euro. Both Euro notes and coins will be slightly smaller than our present currency.

Twelve countries will be introducing the euro in 18 months' time - Ireland, Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Finland and Greece.

The euro will be issued from ATM machines from January 1st, 2002. The Irish pound will cease to be legal tender on February 9th, 2002.

One euro will buy you a brown soda bread loaf. A pint, at today's price, will cost between 2.80 and three euros.