Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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129. To ask the Minister for Finance his views on the merits of a ban on surcharges on credit and debit cards in view of the decision by the Treasury in the United Kingdom regarding same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35935/17]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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A new EU Directive, the revised EU Payment Services Directive, is currently being transposed and will enter into effect in all EU Member States on 13 January 2018.

This Directive prohibits surcharging on payment cards covered by the EU Interchange Fee Regulation, meaning that surcharging will be prohibited on the vast majority of credit and debit cards held by consumers.

Once the Directive takes effect early next year merchants will be permitted only to surcharge on cards not covered by the EU Interchange Fee Regulation, such as commercial cards or cards issued by three party payment card schemes. Where this occurs, the revised EU Payment Services Directive specifies that any surcharge must not exceed the direct costs borne by the merchant to accept the card.