Financial Services welcome electronic payment measures
The national financial services industry body has welcomed the Minister of Finance's measure to promote electronic payments in Ireland announced in today's Budget.
Mr Brendan Kelly, Director of Financial Services Ireland said: "The Minister is to be congratulated for halving stamp-duty on Debit and ATM cards. This continues the process, started last year, of encouraging consumers to embrace more efficient payment methods."
"A report commissioned by the Department of the Taoiseach in 2003 found that cash and cheques cost the Irish economy as much as €640m - this is a significant cost that the economy simply can not afford, and is a real threat to our international competitiveness.
"The announcement that the Minister wishes to establish a National Payments Plan to tackle this problem is welcome."
