Business people in the North have voted by an overwhelming 70 per cent in favour of Britain joining the euro in a new poll conducted by the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce, one of the region's largest business bodies.

The Chamber of Commerce, which has around 4,000 member businesses in the North, says the results of its poll shows there is strong business support for early entry into the euro.

The poll carried out among its members showed the strongest support for the euro came from manufacturing companies, where 77 per cent were in favour of joining the new single currency. Businesses operating in the service sector voted by 68 per cent in support of joining the euro while just 20 per cent of its members were decidedly against entry.

Northern Ireland is the only region of the UK with a land border with the euro zone and this has given rise to a unique perspective on the issue among some business leaders.

Privately, many are in favour of joining the euro in principle but realise that politically it also creates difficulties. According to the Confederation of British Industry in the North, a large percentage of its members would also be pro-euro but many are not yet convinced that the economic conditions are right for joining at this time.

But the Institute of Directors in Northern Ireland said the organisation as a whole believed the UK should stay out for the foreseeable future.