Editing Debit card (section)

===Ireland===

==== Current system (as of December 2022) ====
In Ireland, all debits cards are exclusively Chip and PIN. The market is dominated by Visa Debit cards - the "Top 3" banks in Ireland: [[Allied Irish Banks]], [[Bank of Ireland]] and [[Permanent TSB]] all use Visa Debit, as well as the exiting bank [[Ulster Bank]]. Other financial institutions that maintain a minority stake such as [[EBS d.a.c.|EBS]], [[An Post|An Post Money]] and some credit unions use Mastercard Debit cards, as well as the exiting bank KBC. [[Revolut]], with over 2 million customers in Ireland,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Stedman |first=Gill |date=2022-11-17 |title=Revolut tops 25 million customers worldwide |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2022/1116/1336528-revolut-tops-25m-customers-worldwide/ |language=en |access-date=2022-12-12 |archive-date=2022-12-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221212224945/https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2022/1116/1336528-revolut-tops-25m-customers-worldwide/ |url-status=live }}</ref> varies between Mastercard and Visa Debit cards.

Irish debit cards are normally multi-functional and combine ATM card facilities. Some banks will provide ATM cards to vulnerable or elderly customers, but only on request. The practice is rare and it is on a case-by-case basis.

For online purchases, the cards are used together with the bank's mobile app for Strong Customer Authentication as required by the EU's Payment Services Directive (PSD2).<ref>{{Cite web |title=PSD2: Strong Customer Authentication, Changes to Online Banking |url=https://aib.ie/ |access-date=2022-12-12 |website=AIB |language=en-GB |archive-date=2016-11-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161116163318/https://aib.ie/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=PSD2 (The Second Payment Services Directive) - Bank of Ireland Group Website |url=https://www.bankofireland.com/the-second-payment-services-directive/ |access-date=2022-12-12 |website=Bank of Ireland |language=en-IE |archive-date=2022-12-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221206171944/https://www.bankofireland.com/the-second-payment-services-directive/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=PSD2 {{!}} permanent tsb |url=https://www.permanenttsb.ie/psd2/ |access-date=2022-12-12 |website=Permanent TSB Group |archive-date=2022-12-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221212224948/https://www.permanenttsb.ie/psd2/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Strong Customer Authentication {{!}} permanent tsb |url=https://www.permanenttsb.ie/psd2/sca/ |access-date=2022-12-12 |website=Permanent TSB Group |archive-date=2022-12-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221208223135/https://www.permanenttsb.ie/psd2/sca/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Most Irish debit cards are also enabled for contactless payment for purchases €50 or below, and display the contactless symbol. The limit was previously €30, but was increased to €50 as a result of the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland|COVID-19 pandemic]] to increase card usage in order to minimize the handling of cash.<ref>{{Cite web |title=AIB Contactless & Mobile Payments |url=https://aib.ie/ |access-date=2022-12-12 |website=AIB |language=en-GB |archive-date=2016-11-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161116163318/https://aib.ie/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Some banks, such as AIB, do not provide contactless cards to certain account holders, such as those under 18. After 3-5 contactless transactions, the bank will ask the card user to enter their PIN through a Chip and PIN transaction for authentication.

[[Apple Pay]] and [[Google Pay (payment method)|Google Pay]] are also embraced as contactless payment methods with many retailers as they use the same contactless technology. However, due to the device's authentication of the user, there is no limit on the purchase amount.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Apple Pay - Bank of Ireland |url=https://personalbanking.bankofireland.com/apple-pay/ |access-date=2022-12-12 |website=Bank of Ireland |language=en-IE |archive-date=2023-01-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230130134904/https://personalbanking.bankofireland.com/apple-pay/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Google Pay - Ways to Bank |url=https://aib.ie/ |access-date=2022-12-12 |website=AIB |language=en-GB |archive-date=2016-11-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161116163318/https://aib.ie/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Apple Pay - Ways to Bank |url=https://aib.ie/ |access-date=2022-12-12 |website=AIB |language=en-GB |archive-date=2016-11-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161116163318/https://aib.ie/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In some cases, there are limits of a large amount such as €500, however this may be imposed by the retailer due to technical constraints rather than for security purposes.

The cards are usually processed online, but some cards can also be processed offline depending on the rules applied by the card issuer.

A number of card issuers also provide prepaid debit card accounts primarily for use as gift cards / vouchers or for added security and anonymity online, e.g. CleverCards. These may be disposable or reloadable and are predominately MasterCard branded. One4All vouchers, a popular voucher given particularly to employees by companies at Christmas time, are another type of a prepaid debit card used. However, it is limited to retailers that specifically opt-in to using One4All cards as a payment method and are neither Visa nor Mastercard branded.

==== Previous system (defunct since 28 February 2014) ====
[[Laser (debit card)|Laser]] was launched by the Irish banks in 1996 as an extension of the existing ATM and [[Cheque guarantee card]] systems that had existed for many years. When the service was added, it became possible to make payments with a multifunctional card that combined ATM, cheque and debit card and international ATM facilities through MasterCard Cirrus or Visa Plus and sometimes the British Link ATM system. Their functionality was similar to the British [[Switch (debit card)|Switch]] card.

The system first launched as a swipe & sign card and could be used in Ireland in much the same way as a credit card and were compatible standard card terminals (online or offline, although they were usually processed online). They could also be used in cardholder-not-present transactions over the phone, by mail or on the internet or for processing recurring payments. Laser also offered 'cash back' facilities where customers could ask retailers (where offered) for an amount of cash along with their transaction. This service allowed retailers to reduce volumes of cash in tills and allowed consumers to avoid having to use ATMs. Laser adopted EMV 'Chip and PIN' security in 2002 in common with other credit and debit cards right across Europe. In 2005, some banks issued customers with Lasers cards that were co-branded with Maestro. This allowed them to be used in POS terminals overseas, internet transactions were usually restricted to sites that specifically accepted Laser.

Since 2006, Irish banks have progressively replaced Laser with international schemes, primarily Visa Debit and by 28 February 2014 the Laser Card system had been withdrawn entirely and is no longer accepted by retailers.