Jane O'Sullivan examines the main issues which have preoccupiedIrish consumers in week one of the new currency
Anger, annoyance, amazement and even amusement were among the wide range of emotions expressed by callers to Euro Watch during the week.
While the introduction of the single currency generally got off to a flying start, there were a number of minor hiccups and consumers were not slow to spot or report them.
One of the first callers rang to complain that his Irish Nationwide branch in Dublin's Camden Street declined to change £155 into euro for him.
But annoyed as he was at this, what left him dumbstruck was that the staff at a financial institution suggested he cross the street to the corner shop to get his euro.
Another caller rang to say his wife, a TSB customer, was equally bemused when her branch in Dundrum refused to change £16 into the new currency and she was advised to tender her coins in a shop.
"She took the kids to McDonald's and ordered £8 worth of stuff but they took all of her coins and gave her euro back.
"Basically, they did the bank's business."
A TSB spokesman later said this was an isolated incident and it was the bank's policy to change Irish coins.
He attributed the mistake to human error, an explanation that surfaced several times during the week.
But this proved to be a poor consolation for those experiencing frustration or disappointment.
One mother who took her children to a well-known toy store with their Christmas money had to leave again without their carefully chosen purchases after the cashier declined to accept their Irish pounds.
The store later apologised for the error but by then the business had been lost to another shop.
Aside from human error, a number of system errors also surfaced.
Of the financial institutions, key agents in the changeover process, the State's largest bank, AIB, definitely came out worst.
A glitch in its systems meant six ATMs across the State overcharged those withdrawing cash on New Year's Day.
Angry AIB customers also rang in their droves to complain that they were still waiting for cheque books.
Aside from prices being rounded up, the most common euro complaint related to outlets refusing to handle Irish coins.
This was an unexpected development.
Many of those involved in the euro planning process had feared retailers would see their euro floats quickly disappear as customers proferred £50 notes and left with all the euro change.
Instead, retail outlets and banks found themselves faced with "boxes, bags, bottles and buckets" of small coin and the time-consuming task of sorting and counting it.
A growing number of such retailers and banks have proved distinctly reluctant to take it on.
One publican noted ruefully that businesses should have seen it coming.
The well-publicised shortage of pennies in recent years pointed to the amount of hoarded coins in the system which is only now surfacing.
However, most outlets did their best in difficult circumstances, and many of the failings were genuine errors rather than businesses trying to take advantage of unwary consumers.
And if Euro Watch uncovered anything over the course of the week, it was that Irish consumers are increasingly a force to be reckoned with.
A growing number are prepared to complain, to report problems if they do not get satisfaction, and to take their business elsewhere when all else fails.