Christmas shoppers have been warned by the Central Bank to be on the alert for fake banknotes.
The bank said that as the use of cash hits its peak at this time of year, there is a corresponding increase in the opportunities for counterfeiters to pass off fake notes.
A spokesman for the Central Bank said: "Anyone who suspects they have a counterfeit banknote should pass it over to their local gardaí.
"Euro banknotes are produced to the highest standards and contain security features which are hard to counterfeit. It should be relatively easy to spot counterfeits and we would remind people to stay alert over the Christmas period."
The Central Bank also urged the public to use coins and low-value banknotes when paying for purchases.
Consumers should use the "feel-look-tilt" test when checking banknotes, the Central Bank said. The printing process gives the notes a unique feel, which includes raised print.
When note is held up to the light a picture and the value of the note can be seen as a watermark, while the security thread can be seen as a dark line. On the lower denomination notes (€5, €10, €20), a hologram appears on the foil stripe on the front of the banknote.
On the higher value notes (€50, €100, €200, €500) a hologram appears on the foil patch on the front of the banknote. Further information on banknote security features is available from the Central Bank website at www.centralbank.ie.
Five of the State's banks have today warned that attempts have been made to obtain goods using stolen or counterfeit bank drafts.
In adverts in today's national newspapers, AIB, Bank of Ireland, National Irish Bank, Permanent TSB and Ulster Bank say the presenter of a bank draft should be satisfactorily identified before bank drafts are accepted.
They recommend, particularly with one-off transactions involving strangers, that goods or cash refunds are not released until the draft has been paid.