Some €810 million (£638 million) in Irish notes and coins remain in circulation despite no longer being legal tender, according to the Central Bank.
Irish currency ceased to be legal tender on February 9th with 81 per cent of all cash in circulation now estimated to be in euro.
The Central Bank has issued 143 million euro banknotes and over one billion euro coins with a total value of €3.55 billion into circulation. The bank estimates that 83 per cent of the Irish currency in circulation has been returned since December 31st.
The Irish Bankers Federation has announced that banks will continue to accept Irish notes and coins until at least February 28th, 2002. Irish pound coins will be accepted in customer lodgements until March 28th. Irish pound notes will be accepted until at least the end of the year.
The Central Bank will exchange Irish banknotes and coins for euro indefinitely.
It will also continue to exchange the legal tender banknotes of other euro area countries up until March 28th. It will not exchange foreign coins for euro.
