Bank staff look set to lodge a multi-million pound special pay claim ahead of the introduction of the Euro.
The news follows reports that the Garda overtime bill will hit an all-time high because of the number of security convoys required to get the currency into cash registers and bank machines by the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve.
The Irish Bank Officials Association has signalled its intention to seeking a special package for its members who will be in the frontline of the circulation of 200 million Euro notes and 1 billion Euro coins.
The compensation will be to pay for extra duties during Christmas week, when bank staff normally work just two days, and for the role the officials will play in educating the public.