The people who bring you Laser are recommending the debit card as the best way to ride out any confusion in the euro storm.

With 850,000 users of Laser cards in the State, it has become a popular and convenient form of payment, and it will be one of the simplest ways to pay for purchases when the euro arrives on January 1st.

It will not be necessary to get a new card, and Laser transactions will be carried out the same way as they are now. The only difference will be that the transaction amount will be in euro, not in Irish pounds. Instead of having to grapple with dual-currency payments and change, Laser cardholders in many retail outlets will be able to pay the exact amount and ask for cash of up to €100 (£78.76) back if necessary.

The Laser card is the only Irish debit card and is available from eight financial institutions. It is a payment card that allows cardholders to purchase goods and services by swiping at the till, and then checking and signing the receipt. It works like an electronic cheque. The amount is then debited from your bank or building society account within a few days.

Laser cuts down on the need to carry cash, and is cheaper and quicker than writing a cheque. The card doubles as an ATM card.

Like any plastic card, you have to be very careful not to mislay the Laser card and it should be reported missing as soon as possible. Unfortunately, many retailers pay no attention to the signature when they are handling card transactions.

Since its introduction in 1996, Laser has grown in popularity and is now accepted in more than 20,000 outlets. The procedure for using Laser will not change with the new currency and cardholders will be able to use the cards they hold currently.

Most items will be dual-priced during the euro conversion period. To ensure that you have been charged correctly, check the euro price of the item you are buying matches the euro amount on your Laser receipt.