Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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The Government’s National Payments Planwas launched in April 2013 with the objective of reducing the cost of Ireland’s payment system through the increased use of more efficient payment systems to improve competitiveness and efficiency. In September 2013, ‘ eDay ’ was launched and gave businesses and public sector bodies 12 months to prepare for the smooth transition to electronic payments. In this regard, the Department of Finance advised all public bodies, including local authorities to neither write cheques to business users nor to accept cheques from business users commencing from 19 September 2014 (eDay). Responsibility for the administration of motor tax rests with the relevant motor tax offices as licensing authorities. It is a matter for each individual motor tax office to put in place payment arrangements for motor tax receipts. Local authorities facilitate the payment of commercial rates by instalments, including direct debit, standing order, and cash.

Local authorities facilitate a range of alternative payment methods such as cash, credit cards and, in certain instances, in instalments through direct debit and standing orders.