The Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Spring, said last night that he doubted whether Britain would be among the first countries to join the EMU.

"Ireland as a country is determined to ensure that we qualify in the first strand of EMU countries," he said.

Mr Spring, who was on a visit to Spain said Ireland wished Britain to join, but "being a political realist, it is fair to state that it is highly unlikely that they will join at the commencement of EMU," he said.

"However I think that it is also reasonable to speculate that they may well wish to join within a reasonable period of time," he said.