Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I also thank the Rural Independent Group for bringing this motion before the House. Last summer, AIB attempted to make 70 of its branches cashless. In my constituency of Tipperary, the branches at Cashel, Cahir, Carrick-on-Suir and Roscrea were targeted. The response from the public was straightforward; they said "No." The Government dithered but people power ultimately won out and the decision was abandoned. Why was the public outcry so strong? It was because cash is important in providing for social and financial inclusion for many people, particularly in rural areas. It provides access to services for people who may not be in a position to use contactless payments or who do not have online access to carry out transactions. The Department of Finance itself has said cash remains the preferred method of in-store payment for 20% of people. This is especially the case for older and low-income groups. Cash is very much a relevant medium of payment. While there has been an increase in electronic payments, that cannot be allowed to exclude those for whom cash is not a choice but a necessity.

We must also bear in mind that access to cash is also important to many as a tool for budgeting. Tapping cards can give us a false idea of our spending. Many of our small and medium enterprises deal with high volumes of cash every day and so need access to it. It is also not unheard of for online systems to go down, making cash payments crucial. That is why we need ATMs and access to cash in our communities, especially in our rural towns and villages.

When cash services in Tipperary were under threat, I spoke of the need for a comprehensive review of access to cash to protect access throughout the State. We need this to ensure, as the use of cash declines in the future, retail banks will be required to provide cash withdrawal and deposit facilities based on customer distribution, market share and geographical coverage. A way forward that still enables full access to cash is possible. The needs of people must always take precedence. People must not be left behind on the pretext of technological advancement.

See this speech in context