Ireland’s banks have been asked by Minister for Finance Simon Harris to examine if card payments routed through their systems are facilitating the dissemination of child abuse images online.
During a meeting with representatives of the retail banks on Wednesday, Harris told them of his “deep concern over revelations that child abuse sites are using paywalls to avoid detection”, according to a statement issued by the Department of Finance afterwards.
His officials added that he wanted the department to have “direct engagement with the banks, particularly their security and IT experts, to see what more can be done to combat the area of fraud and particularly in light of the use of paywalls hiding child sexual abuse”.
“The revelations today that child abuse material is increasingly being hidden behind paywalls are deeply disturbing and represent a deliberate attempt to evade detection and accountability,” Harris said in a statement issued after the meeting.
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“Financial institutions and payment providers have an important role to play in helping disrupt these criminal networks and protecting children online.”
The meeting also focused on Harris’s plans to introduce a new investment account in the upcoming budget, the department said.
“The Tánaiste emphasised that his objective is to make investing simpler, clearer and more accessible for ordinary people, while helping households achieve better long-term returns on their savings.”
[ Irish households may invest up to €7bn in savings scheme in first year, BPFI saysOpens in new window ]
Harris will soon bring a national financial literacy strategy to Government, which he said was key to the introduction of a retail investment culture in Ireland.
In a statement issued after the meeting, the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland (BPFI) did not mention the discussions about online child sex abuse images, but said the group “strongly welcomes” the Government plans for investment accounts.
“At a basic level, it must be easy to open, understand and use and supported by a co-ordinated financial education and public awareness programme, led jointly by Government, regulators and industry,” the federation’s chief executive Brian Hayes said.
“The scheme also needs to be accessible to everyone, regardless of how much they are in a position to save and should reflect the reality that most people will start investing with modest amounts and build confidence over time.”
Hayes added that flexibility would have to be built in, recognising that ordinary savers and investors may need access to their funds in the event of unexpected or planned events.
The BPFI also said tax incentives would be “critical to driving participation” in the scheme and called for a range of other tax changes including “a more competitive capital gains tax”.
It is understood the issue of internet safety was raised towards the end of the meeting. According to a BPFI spokeswoman, the banking representatives outlined a number of initiatives already under way with the Garda and other organisations, and “how institutions work closely with law enforcement on a day-to-day basis in the reporting and investigation of all suspicious activity”.
