Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State. Many questions have been raised in welcoming this legislation. We are supporting what has come from Europe. This Bill is about protecting the consumer and business people. As a former business owner, I am aware of people who had their cards stolen and used or who have been scammed. There has been a major increase in people using their cards and it is all about the Internet. As a colleague said, the fraudsters are always two steps ahead of everyone else. The tighter we can make the legislation to protect everybody, the better. I welcome the legislation and support it. It is important to put as many measures in place as possible to protect against fraud. I pay tribute to the members of the Garda who assist people who have been scammed or have been the victim of a counterfeiting fraud offence, be it counterfeit notes or cards.