FIANNA Fail's Enterprise and Employment spokeswoman, Ms Mary O'Rourke, has called on the Minister for Finance to put a "coherent strategy" in place in the run«MDBO» «MDNM»up to EMU.

And with the pound continuing to trade close to 104p sterling she said that there is good reason to believe that the weakness in sterling is contributing to the rise in the number of unemployed in the Republic.

Ms O'Rourke said "recent turbulence" has hit the Irish currency and it has had serious consequences for many Irish manufacturers and exporters. This turbulence is likely to continue right up to EMU, she said, but claimed there is no strategy in place "to chart the course forward for Ireland".