Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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3. To ask the Minister for Finance his views on postal orders as a means for making payments for bills with State agencies and local authorities, especially among those with limited IT skills and no chequebooks; whether such organisations have the right to refuse postal orders; if so, whether this could be amended through his offices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27878/25]

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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We know that the use of cheques in this country has declined dramatically, especially since Covid. The current rate of use is now half what it was in 2023, and has probably declined more. I do not have the up-to-date figures. Many people do not have chequebooks anymore or if they do, they are stashed away in a box somewhere and are not used that much. Equally, there are many older people who do not have bank cards because they do have bank accounts. In this context, what are the Minister's views on postal orders as a means of making payments to State agencies and local authorities, especially among those with limited IT skills and no chequebooks? Do these entities have the right to refuse postal orders? If they do, can this be amended through the Minister's offices?

Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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I ask that Deputies stay within the time limit.

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for this question, particularly as maintaining a variety of payment options in the State is important for the economy and for ensuring the financial inclusion of consumers who are older, on fixed or lower incomes or at risk of digital exclusion.

The availability of non-digital payment options ensures that certain vulnerable groups are not excluded from participating in our society. This is why cash access has been ensured via the recently passed Finance (Provision of Access to Cash Infrastructure) Act 2025 and why cash acceptance was recommended in the national payments strategy of 2024. Launched in October 2024, the strategy recommended cash acceptance or cash facilitation in the public sector where a public body levies fines or fees or where it provides goods or services for a charge. If a body cannot accept cash directly, it must arrange for the facilitation of cash payments via third party. In November, the Secretary General of my Department wrote to all other Secretaries General notifying them of this recommendation. Departments and bodies under their aegis will be required to confirm, via their annual reports, that they are in compliance with this recommendation.

It is my view that postal orders fall within the scope of facilitating cash payments via a third party. Postal orders are accepted by a number of local authorities and State agencies such as the Revenue. If the Deputy would like more information on the volume, use and operation of postal orders, An Post is the appropriate body to ask. I will certainly raise this matter with an Post because I accept that the point the Deputy raised is important.

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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What I am more interested in is the Minister raising it with the agencies. For example, South Dublin County Council has cash offices in Tallaght and Clondalkin, but many people who rely solely on public transport find it very hard to get to those places. I wish to give a specific example regarding resident parking permits for an area that have to be paid through South Dublin Parking Services. When a resident tried to make an arrangement to do this by phone, they were told, "Sorry, cheques only, we are not accepting postal orders". I acknowledge that this was a contractor acting on behalf of a local government agency, but there seems to be a miscommunication at that point because I have heard other stories about other agencies. I do not have the time to go through it, but maybe a communication should be issued to explicitly state that postal orders should always be accepted as legal tender in these cases.

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I will raise that matter with the Minister for housing. The information I have does cover off where we are with our State agencies but does not deal with the local authorities at the level the Deputy has just referred to, and, in particular, the specific case to which he referred. I accept that for our more elderly citizens who need to use local authorities and other services, not being able to use cash broadly can be, for them, more than an issue of convenience. As I said, I will follow up on this with the Minister for housing and will revert to the Deputy.