EURO CONVERSION RATES ANNOUNCED

 The exchange rates of 11 countries,    
 including Ireland, have been fixed     
 against the European single currency,  
 the euro, at a ceremony in Brussels.   
                                        
 The new currency comes into effect from
 midnight, but notes and coins will not 
 be issued until the beginning of 2002. 
                                        
 Banks and other financial institutions 
 have until Monday morning to convert   
 their systems to be able to deal with  
 the new currency.                      
                                        
 One euro will be equal to 78.7564 Irish
 pence. The fixing of the new rates is  
 seen as the biggest step so far towards
 European integration.                  
   EURO CHANGEOVER BOARD OF IRELAND 678 

 1 euro =                               
 6.55957  French francs                 
 1.95583  German marks                  
 166.386  Spanish pesetas               
 40.3399  Luxembourg francs             
 40.3399  Belgian francs                
 0.787564 Irish pounds                  
 1,936.27 Italian lire                  
 2.20371  Dutch guilder                 
 13.7603  Austrian schillings           
 200.482  Portuguese escsudos           
 5.94573  Finnish markka                
                                        
 1 ECU =                                
 1.16675  US dollars                    
 0.705455 pounds sterling               
 (last reference rates before euro)     
                                        
     ROW OVER ECB CHIEF'S TERM 105