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You are here: Home -> National Payments Strategy -> National Payments Conferences -> National Payments Conference 2008 A A 

National Payments Conference 2008 – A Tremendous Success

The 2nd National Payments Conference took place at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham on Friday April 18th 2008. 200 delegates representing over 90 different organisations were in attendance. Key issues facing payments in Ireland were dealt with by expert speakers from both Ireland and abroad. The conference comprised four key modules:

• Improving Payments Efficiency
• Financial Inclusion
• Innovation in Payments
• The Way Forward

What the Speakers Said

Charlie McCreevy, European Commissioner for the Internal Markets and Services opened the 2nd National Payments Conference with a keynote speech on ‘Making the Best of SEPA’. He explained how the Payments Services Directive would lend legal support for SEPA and stressed the need for its early adoption by member states. Mr McCreevy singled out four key SEPA issues:

 

• SEPA migration and the role of public authorities
• The danger for debit cards of the SEPA Cards Framework leading to less, rather than more, competition
• The need for further progress on standardisation
• The importance of Additional Optional Services and in particular the potential of electronic invoicing.

Pat McLoughlin, Chief Executive, Irish Payment Services Organisation highlighted the consequences of Ireland’s high dependency on cash and cheques relative to the rest of the EU and called for the implementation of a national payments plan that would lead to greater national competitiveness through the reduction of cash usage and ultimately the elimination of cheques.

Ron Van Wezel, Senior Vice President, ABN AMRO and Chairman of MobeyForum focused on the payments system in the Netherlands and compared them with those in Ireland. He then went on to discuss some of the lessons that had been learned when modernising the Dutch payments industry including the use of incentives to promote more efficient payments, the elimination of less efficient instruments, re-engineering of existing processes and ensuring the full involvement of all stakeholders.

Professor Elaine Kempson, CBE, Director Personal Finance Research Centre, University of Bristol gave the delegates a very interesting insight into the whole area of Financial Inclusion. Describing financial Inclusion and explaining how it is considered to cover four areas – transaction banking, credit, savings and insurance, Professor Kempson went on to identify the societal, demand and supply factors that influence financial exclusion. Ireland’s performance in this area was examined and the models for promotion of financial inclusion in a number of countries were identified.

Juha Risikko, Senior Product Manager, Nordea Private Netbank described a number of innovations in the payments business in Finland. Electronic payments, electronic invoicing and mobile banking services including mobile contactless payments were identified as core services. Mr. Risikko also explored the future and trends in the Nordic region.

 

Paul Smee, Chief Executive, U.K. Payments Council explained the background and remit of the Payments Council and discussed its work relating to the UK National Payments Plan which was about to be released. The major issues identified were the future of cheques, identifying the next big innovation and drawing the line between competition and collaboration.

Paul O’Brien, Head of Policy and Oversight Unit, Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland explored the ‘Eurosystem Perspective’, outlining the role of the Central Bank in Ireland, the aspirations and impact if SEPA and the role of the National Payments Implementation Programme going forward.

Panel Sessions

1. Financial Inclusion

Colm Butler, Department of the Taoiseach (Chairman)

 

Elaine Kempson CBE, University of Bristol

 

Dermott Jewell, Consumers’ Association of Ireland

 

Mary O’Dea, Financial Regulator

 

Carline Corr, Combat Poverty

 

Eimear O’Rourke, Irish Banking Federation

 

2. Innovation in payments

Russell Burke, Irish Payment Services Organisation Ltd. (Chairman)

 

Juha Risikko, Nordea Private Netbank

 

Margaret Lysaght, Revenue Commissioners

 

Tara Buckley, RGDATA

 

Colm McKiernan, Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Food

 

Peg O’Connor, Department of Social and Family Affairs

 

Colm Lyon, Realex Payments and the Irish Internet Association

 

Andy Cullen, Department of Transport

What the Papers Said

"Some countries have already phased out the use of cheques completely and the UK government will shortly announce a national plan for their elimination."
Irish Times

"Seven out of ten cardholders said they would increase card usage if the minimum spend requirement, requested by some Irish retailers, was fully removed."
Irish Independent

"The cheque is now an out of date form of payment and must be axed to ensure a more efficient payments system."

Evening Echo

 

"Cheques should completely disappear from use in Ireland by 2016."

Evening Herald

 

"A switch to electronic payment could also help a business to reduce costs and become more competitive."

Irish Examiner

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