There has been a call for a national information campaign to let the public know that their rights to access cash have been reinforced with the passing yesterday of the Access to Cash Bill (Tuesday, 13th May).
Welcoming the development, Aontú Senator Sarah O’Reilly, one of the most vocal and constant supporters of the use of cash said
“I welcome this Bill and commend the efforts being made to ensure people across this country can continue to access physical cash. This Bill helps to copper fasten the speed of continued use of cash in our society. Aontú has long campaigned against a move toward a cashless society, something we believe would heavily exclude vast numbers of our population. We challenged the GAA, the NCT and the banks themselves on their damaging plans to end cash”.
“Cash is the most inclusive way to pay for goods and services. Cash does not discriminate by age or skill level, whether someone has internet access or not. Cash gives all citizens the ability to participate fully in society as well as giving more autonomy and privacy”.
“It’s also important to remember that 350,000 people countrywide do not have bank accounts. That is their right”.
People choose to use cash for a variety of reasons. For some, particularly older people, cash is simply what they know and trust. For others working in trades or with irregular incomes, cash provides a tangible and trackable way to manage budgets. Domestic abuse survivors often keep emergency cash, and this is a vital point to make it can offer a crucial lifeline to autonomy and safety.”.
“We all saw the nightmare scenario last year when there was a worldwide technological glitch, paralysing so many services. We always need to have cash as an alternative to card payments”.
There are however some issues around this Bill that I want clarity on.
For example, part two, section 6 of the Bill provides for a review of the access to cash criteria by the Minister if cash demand decreases by more than 15% in one calendar year compared to the previous year. After such a review the Minister may amend the access to cash criteria. I’m wary of this and question whether access to cash will be genuinely protected if cash use declines, and if the number of ATMs will be reduced with each review.
I am also very anxious that retailers honour the public’s right to use cash.
There is little point in protecting someone’s ability to withdraw cash from an ATM if, when they go to buy groceries or attend appointments, they are told its card only.
More and more businesses, particularly in urban areas, are moving to cashless models, and we have already seen attempts to digitise public bodies, such as the NCT.
That move rightly met with public resistance, and it served as a warning that we cannot allow convenience to trump inclusivity.
I would also suggest that it makes more sense for the Minister to consider having one ATM for every 20,000 people rather than setting a minimum number of ATMs. This would be crucial in rural areas where the population is sparser and more dispersed.
I am also calling for a national information campaign to be rolled out to let people know that it has passed. People need to be aware of the legislation in order to ensure that its criteria is met within their own locality.
There’s not much point drafting this if the wider public has no knowledge of how this Bill actually strengthens rights to access cash.
