Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 278: To ask the Minister for Finance his views on waiving the bank card charges for pensioners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19612/06]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Stamp duty exists on various financial cards in order to provide Exchequer revenue. The stamp duty on cheques, bills of exchange and promissory notes has existed for many years with no exemptions of the kind referred to by the deputy. When electronic means of money transfers were subsequently introduced, stamp duty was gradually extended to these products to ensure that the stamp duty from cheques etc. was not eroded. I do not believe that the current charges on bank cards are either excessive or act as a disincentive for pensioners using financial institutions and there are no plans to introduce exemptions to stamp duty for any category of individual.