Michael Finucane (Fine Gael)

I would like the Minister for Finance to raise an issue with the banks as a matter of urgency. Credit card scams are estimated to cost about €10 million a year. The banking institutions have promised to introduce changes to PINs and various security protection measures to make credit cards foolproof in the future. Those advances are being made in the UK and it is widely anticipated problems will escalate in this country if we do not take immediate action. While the banks plan to do this in 2005, the Minister should stress the urgency of doing so as quickly as possible. Cloned credit cards are available among the criminal fraternity for €120. This problem has recently received sharp focus in the media. The Leader should ask the Minister for Finance to request that the banks move on this as a matter of priority.