Ahern clarifies ATM fee comments

JUSTICE MINISTER Dermot Ahern attempted to clarify suggestions he made that people should be charged for using ATM machines in a bid to reduce the volume of cash in society.

Mr Ahern said what he meant was that people should be “incentivised” to use electronic means of payment and suggested that charges should be brought down for using credit cards and debit cards.

His initial comments on Thursday – which were made on the back of a tiger kidnapping – were attacked by opposition parties and bank official representatives.