The Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, has launched a euro changeover board to oversee the launch of the single currency.

The board will be in charge of ensuring the changeover to the new currency is as smooth as possible.

The board, which will be headed by senior Department of Finance civil servant, Mr Philip Hamell, has also been charged with providing public and consumer information.

The board is made up of representatives of trade unions, IBEC, business, financial and professional trade bodies as well as the Central Bank and Government departments.

The full list of board members is: Mr Hamell; Mr John Kelly of the Central Bank; Mr Hugh Bancroft of the Chambers of Commerce of Ireland; Mr Paul McGarry of the Office of Director of Consumer Affairs; Mr Frank Sexton of the Irish Bankers Federation; Mr David Croughan of IBEC; Mr Tom Hardiman of IBM Treasury Services; Ms Patricia O'Donovan of ICTU; Mr Con Lucey of the IFA; Mr Michael Kemp of the Irish Insurance Federation; Mr Des Byrne of Irish Mortgage and Savings Association; Mr Paul Gormley of the European Commission; Mr Jim O'Brien of European Parliament; Mr Gerard Moran of the Revenue Commissioners; Mr Eoin Gahon of Forfas; Mr Ray Bates of the National Lottery; Ms Caroline Gill of the Consumers Association; Mr Tom Ferris of the Department of Public Enterprise; Mr Tom Healy of the Irish Stock Exchange; Mr Peter Fisher of the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment; and Mr Peter Kelly of the consultative committee of accountancy bodies in Ireland.