Tag: pay

Wave of ‘Hi Mam / Hi Dad..” and bank impersonation scam texts in circulation

Bank of Ireland is advising customers to be vigilant amid a notable rise in impersonation scams, including fake family text and bogus bank alerts.  Impersonation scams are one of the most common tactics used by fraudsters, with criminals posing as trusted contact, to prompt quick action. These scams arrive by text or via messaging apps and are designed to look familiar, urgent and may even be personalised.

The current wave of scams involves fraudsters pretending to be a family member with a damaged or lost phone, asking for the recipient to pay for something urgently.

The message typically begins with a seemingly innocent message such as ‘Hi Mam / Hi Dad, this is my new number….’ followed by a request asking for help to pay for something. In some cases, the fraudster will ask for a payment to be made to a specific bank account or in other cases ask for a card number and then set it up on a digital wallet e.g. Apple Pay or Google Pay (and ask Mam for the code that the bank just sent).

Fraudsters are also sending texts that closely mimic legitimate Bank of Ireland fraud‑alert messages, particularly those asking customers to confirm whether they recognise a recent card transaction. These scam texts are designed to look authentic, using similar wording and formats to real security messages. While Bank of Ireland may contact customers to verify transactions, genuine staff will never ask you to share your full card details, one-time passcodes or to move your money to keep it safe.

Nicola Sadlier, Head of Fraud at Bank of Ireland, said: “Smishing attempts tend to appear in waves, from motorway toll charges to government payment scams, but the goal remains the same – to get people to share their banking details or transfer money directly into the hands of fraudsters.

We have seen the “Hi Mam / Hi Dad…” texts before.  This is a case of fraudsters revisiting a tactic that has worked for them before, preying on a parents’ instinct to respond to a child in need. The sense of urgency in bank impersonation texts is designed to panic people into action to protect their money.

Although 70% of the Irish population are confident they can spot scams according to our latest research*, unfortunately people are still being caught out by these scams. 

Our advice is simple – always be on your guard, and pause.  Whether the message claims to be from your son, daughter, or your bank- always call back on a number that you already know. That one small step protects you and shuts down the scam instantly”.

Bank of Ireland’s guidance to help customers stay in control:

  • If you receive an unexpected message from a child or family member asking for help—do not reply and do not click any links.
  • Verify the sender by calling your family member on their usual number saved in your contacts.
  • TextChecker service – if you get a text that claims to be from Bank of Ireland but you are not sure if it’s genuine, here’s how to verify it:
    • Copy the text you wish to verify.digitPaste into a new message.
    • Add the word CHECK before the text. (In the same text)
    • Send to 50365.
  • If you receive a suspicious text, email a screenshot to 365Security@boi.com and then delete the message.
  • Bank of Ireland customers who believe they may have shared banking information should call the Bank of Ireland 24/7 Freephone line immediately.

DLX Pay & Air Transat in Action

Since going live with DLX Pay, Air Transat has rapidly transformed its payment operations – capturing 6.6% of failed transactions through intelligent, dynamic retry capabilities, successfully onboarded a new payment service provider (PSP) in time for go-live to demonstrate the platform’s agility, and proving DLX Pay’s scalability by processing over $400 million in transactions within the first three months of deployment.
Following the launch of DLX Pay in 2025, Air Transat became the first airline to sign up and go-live with it just months later. A modular, next-generation payment platform designed to improve payment performance and agility, it strengthens operational resilience and delivers greater control to airlines to ultimately enhance the end-to-end customer experience while increasing conversion and revenue opportunities.
The Challenge:
Like many airlines across the globe, Air Transat faced the complexity of managing payments across multiple markets, currencies, and payment methods. Combined with the need to integrate with numerous PSPs, typically at high costs, created a significant challenge. Legacy technology tends to lack the flexibility to quickly onboard new providers, leading to lengthy delivery cycles driving up costs. Additionally, Air Transat experienced limited retry capabilities for failed transactions, restricted visibility of controls and analytics, and a need to support local payment preferences while simultaneously maintaining robust fraud controls.
Solution & Results:
To tackle these challenges, Air Transat implemented DLX Pay for greater control over its payment processes which improved conversion rates, reduced costs, system stability and provided valuable insights through advanced reporting. DLX Pay proved its scalability from the outset, processing over US$400 million in the first 3 months.
  • Dynamic Retries Capturing Lost Revenue
DLX Pay introduced intelligent retry capabilities that were previously unavailable to Air Transat. Over the last three months, this functionality has automatically recovered 6.6% of declined sales by intelligently retrying soft declines from one PSP to be retried with an alternative. This capability works to prevent Air Transat from losing revenue due to failed transactions.
  • No Code Configuration
 With DLX Pay’s configurator and insights dashboard, Air Transat can identify suspected fraudulent activity and optimise fraud prevention and authentication through rule-based flows that trigger appropriate countermeasures. Air Transat can make changes in production via the self-service configuration portal without code changes.
  • Rapid Onboarding new PSPs for Faster Time to Market
With 50+ PSPs already available, DLX Pay drastically accelerates the onboarding of new payment methods and integrations. What previously took months now takes a matter of weeks, meaning reduced complexity and cost and the ability to confidently engage with new and innovative payment methods.
The rapid onboarding of new PSPs was proven at launch when DLX Pay was activated and, at the same time, the platform seamlessly added a new PSP in the background, which went live alongside DLX Pay.
  • More Actionable Insights, More Readily Available
Access to real-time insights in the DLX Pay Configurator, DLX Pay’s dedicated no-code dashboard, offers a consolidated view of payment performance across providers and markets. This enhanced visibility has shifted Air Transat’s approach to managing payments from a reactive function to a proactive, data-driven strategy leading to continuous optimisation and informed decision-making.
Additionally, Air Transat can use the DLX Pay Configurator to implement new payment routing rules or adjust existing ones without any development resources. Through the insight portal, Air Transat can easily identify fraudulent transactions and associated amounts. Likewise, the dashboard delivers data and analytics that are not available from PSPs alone, enabling deeper analysis and more effective troubleshooting.
Future Capabilities & Roadmap:
Building on the initial success, Air Transat and Datalex have a strong roadmap in place for the coming 12 months. Key areas of focus which can be achieved with minimal investment:
  • Adding further Forms of Payments and exploring new Payment Connectors
  • Evolving the usage of Dynamic Routing to further optimise costs
  • Driving down fraud levels using Dynamic Routing driven by insights
  • Exploring Network Tokens to improve authorisation rates
Conclusion
Activating DLX Pay has transformed Air Transat’s payment operations, driven improved performance and restored control of its payment ecosystem, all while reducing complexities and operational costs. With enhanced visibility, intelligent retry and routing capabilities, and the ability to rapidly onboard new PSPs, Air Transat is positioned to flexibly and continuously respond to evolving customer and market demands. The scalability and future-focus of DLX Pay means Air Transat can continue to deliver a seamless and secure customer experience while being at the forefront of payment innovations.
“DLX Pay has improved significantly the way we manage payments on Air Transat.com, giving us much greater control, flexibility, and visibility. Intelligent retry capabilities are helping us recover revenue that was previously lost, while the ability to rapidly onboard new PSPs enables us to optimise costs, increase conversion, and ultimately deliver a seamless booking experience for our passengers.” said Bamba Sissoko, CIO at Air Transat.
“We developed DLX Pay to address the challenges that airlines face on a day-to-day basis when it comes to payments. Seeing the immediate results achieved by Air Transat after go-live – from revenue recovered from successful retries to rapid scalability – demonstrates the power of an airline-specific payment orchestration platform to drive growth. DLX Pay empowers Air Transat with the control, agility, and insights required to elevate the customer experience and adapt quickly to market changes” said Jonathan Rockett, CEO of Datalex.

Revolut to Enable Frictionless Checkout Across All Agentic Commerce Platforms

Revolut, a global financial leader,has announced a new strategic pillar for Revolut Pay, with plans to make its seamless, one-tap checkout solution compatible across the emerging landscape of agentic commerce. This is underpinned by Revolut Pay becoming one of the first EU payment methods compatible with Google’s Agent Payments Protocol (AP2). This strategic focus will help position Revolut Pay as both the secure, universal, 1-tap payment solution for consumers and a powerful sales booster for Revolut Business merchants in conversational and automated shopping environments.

Through close collaboration with Google, Revolut has become one of the first EU payment methods compatible with AP2. AP2 is an open protocol developed with leading payments and technology companies to securely initiate and transact agent-led payments across platforms. In concert with industry rules and standards, it establishes a payment-agnostic framework for users, merchants, and payments providers to transact with confidence across all types of payment methods. In addition, Revolut has  contributed directly to Google’s AP2 open protocol by adapting the flows specifically for account-to-account payments. 

“The future of shopping isn’t a website; it’s a conversation. We aim to move beyond the click-and-pay model to a world where your AI assistant streamlines the checkout for you,” said Alex Codina, General Manager of Acquiring at Revolut. “By enabling Revolut Pay for Agentic Commerce, we are aiming to make our customers’ favourite, most secure payment experience the standard for AI-driven transactions. This will ensure speed, trust, and absolute zero friction for the next generation of digital buying.”

“The future of digital commerce relies on trust, security and speed. By leveraging Google’s AP2 protocol, Revolut will remove friction from AI-assisted shopping. Together, Revolut and Google are transforming digital commerce for millions of users in the European Economic Area (EEA) and the UK,” said Tara Brady, President, Google Cloud EMEA.

Revolut Pay ensures that customers’ transactions are handled with Revolut’s secure infrastructure, including instant notifications and integrated fraud monitoring. The process creates a cleaner, more secure experience for customers and boosts conversion rates for merchants. It also offers a trusted, familiar payment rail for this novel commerce channel.

For Revolut Business merchants, the strategic value of embracing Agentic Commerce lies in preparing for the future of payments. This foundational work and strategic commitment to full payment rail support ensures Revolut remains a trusted partner empowering merchants to thrive in the evolving agentic commerce ecosystem.

These ambitions are illustrative of Revolut’s commitment to staying at the forefront of digital innovation. By ensuring Revolut Pay compatibility with any agent, Revolut is directly addressing the shift in how consumers will interact with the digital economy, ensuring its core payment product is present wherever commerce occurs next.

Irish consumers 6x more likely to be scammed by falling for AI fakes

The scale and sophistication of fraudulent advertising and AI-generated scams on social media are growing rapidly, making it harder than ever for people to know what’s real. New research from Visa in Ireland reveals that people who mistake fake AI-generated content for real are six times more likely to be tricked by scammers online than those who don’t (73% vs. 12%). This highlights how digital misinformation directly increases vulnerability and underscores the importance of collective action to protect consumers and restore trust in digital platforms.
In Ireland, Visa found that people who are affected by online scams typically lose €124.50 per incident (median amount), costing the Irish economy an estimated €71.8 million annually. The impact goes beyond financial loss, causing emotional distress, increased anxiety and reduced productivity. On average, victims of online scams spend around 8.9 days resolving the issue – which is 44% of the working month.
The way people engage with content online plays a major role. Those who share a post without checking its accuracy first, are five times more likely to be targeted and impacted by online scams compared to those who tend to take a moment to verify it first (35% vs. 6%). Everyday online habits – such as skimming headlines, resharing without verifying and trusting AI-generated content – are creating new vulnerabilities that scammers are quick to exploit:
  • 59% have believed online content was genuine only to later discover it was an AI-generated fake
  • Over a third (38%) rarely read beyond a headline before forming an opinion
  • Almost a quarter (23%) have reshared a post without checking its accuracy
The ripple effect of online scams
As online scams grow more sophisticated and widespread, this shift in consumer behaviour is having a tangible impact on the wider economy. Almost half (42%) have changed how they shop online after being scammed and one in two people (50%) targeted by online shopping scams say they now avoid shopping with smaller or unfamiliar brands.
This is having a particularly significant impact on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) which account for 99.8% of Ireland’s business population and depend heavily on consumer confidence to survive and grow2.
Stepping up the fight against fraud
Visa is stepping up the fight against social media scams – combining decades of experience with cutting-edge technology and working closely with banks, retailers, and digital platforms to restore trust in online commerce.
AI has been central to Visa’s approach to fraud prevention. For over 30 years, the company has used AI powered tools to help keep payments secure and stay ahead of evolving threats. In the last five years alone, Visa has invested $12 billion in technology, including building smart, AI-powered systems that detect suspicious behaviour in real time and stop scams before they reach people.
Awareness is as critical as technology. With almost two in five (39%) people believing AI will make scams harder to spot on social media, Visa is taking proactive steps to close that gap. Tackling fraud requires a united front, and Visa is committed to collaborating across the ecosystem to set new standards for consumer protection.
By working closely with banks, retailers and platforms to ensure consumers have the right advice at their fingertips, Visa is helping people recognise an AI-generated scam, understand how they work, and stay safe in an increasingly AI-driven digital world. Because the more informed people are, the harder it is for scammers to succeed.
Visa is calling on all stakeholders – platforms, banks, retailers and policymakers – to work together to raise the bar for digital trust and consumer protection.
Conor Langford, Visa Country Manager for Ireland said: “AI is transforming how we live, shop, work and connect, but it’s also reshaping the landscape for fraud. Scammers are using the same technology that brings us innovation to deceive and exploit consumers, blurring the line between real and fake. These scams can hurt real people, costing not just money but peace of mind and trust. At Visa, we’re investing in AI-driven fraud prevention and working hand-in-hand with our partners across the ecosystem to strengthen digital trust. The more informed people are, the safer our digital economy becomes. Together, we can build a more secure digital future for everyone.”
Elaine Burke, Tech journalist & host of the For Tech Sake podcast, warns: “It’s becoming increasingly difficult for people to be certain of what’s real and what’s not online. Social media feeds are flooded with content generated using AI, which is not always disclosed. This same generative AI has made it easier for scammers to create content that looks completely convincing and blends into feeds where AI slop has become the norm. Scammers can even selectively target those who interact with this type of content, knowing they are more likely to engage with it. That’s why education and awareness are so important. The more aware you are of scammers’ methods, the less likely you are to become their next success story.”
Spot the Scam: Five Smart Ways to Stay Safe on Social Media
Question the source
Scammers often mimic legitimacy with fake business pages, slick ads, AI-generated celebrity endorsements, and convincing personal messages. These tactics can look incredibly real. Before you click, pause and ask: Is this trustworthy? A moment of doubt can save you from a costly mistake.
Take a breath
Urgency is a scammer’s best friend. Promises of free gifts, massive discounts, or “limited-time” offers are designed to rush your decision. Instead, slow down. Check if the offer is realistic, research the company, read reviews and visit the official brand website before sharing any personal information.
Verify the sender – not just the profile
A message from a friend, influencer, or organisation asking for money or personal details? Don’t assume it’s legit. Confirm independently: call the person, use a verified website, or contact the business directly. Scammers often hijack real accounts to appear authentic.
Stay secure and report suspicious activity
Protect your accounts by turning on extra security features like two-factor authentication (2FA) or multi-factor authentication (MFA) where possible. Keep your apps and devices updated and regularly review your privacy settings. If you spot a suspicious ad, post or account, report it to the social platform – and to your bank if money is involved.
Pay securely – or not at all
Never share your bank details over social media. If someone asks you to send money via bank transfer, it’s likely a scam. Always use secure payment methods that offer buyer protection. If that’s not an option, walk away.
For more information on how to pay safely, please visit: www.visa.ie/pay-safely-with-visa.html

Airbnb Announces New Social Features With AI

Travel isn’t just about where you go—it’s about who you meet. But those connections often fade once the trip ends. That’s why we’re introducing new social features for Airbnb Experiences, to help you connect with other guests before, during and after your experience.

Airbnb Announces New Social Features for Experiences, Smarter Search, Expanded AI Support

With searches for winter travel on the rise, we’re also announcing new updates for guests and hosts in time for a busy holiday season, including:

  • Smarter search and improved maps, to help you discover hidden gems
  • A new way to pay with Reserve Now, Pay Later
  • Expanded AI-powered customer support in more countries and languages
  • More tools to help hosts manage their calendar and pricing

New social features for Airbnb Experiences

Airbnb Experiences are designed to be as much about the people as the activity. Now, we’re introducing new social features, so you can connect with other guests throughout your trip and long after.

  • Who’s going – In a recent survey, more than 7 in 10 respondents said they would like to know more about other guests before booking an experience. Now, before you book, we’ll show you guests who are already going on that experience, along with where they’re from.  
  • Direct messaging – Forget to swap contact info? You can request to directly message guests you first met during an experience to stay in touch or even plan your next experience together, all right in the app.
  • Connections in profile – Now, in the Connections section of your Airbnb Profile tab, you can see the people you’ve met on your experiences, making it easy to reconnect with them.

You can enjoy these new social features while staying in control of what you share with new people. For each experience, you can choose to share your profile, giving you clear and simple control over who can message you and how you’re displayed in other guests’ Connections.

Smarter ways to search and more ways to pay

We’re making it easier to discover great places to stay and pay in a way that works for you.

  • Flexible carousels – When you’re searching for your stay, you’ll now see more options for homes just outside of your search criteria. For example, we’ll show homes with similar prices, different amenities or stays in nearby cities for less, helping you discover great options you might have otherwise missed.
  • Improved maps – Maps now let you easily filter for nearby landmarks, attractions, restaurants and more. Tap on any point of interest to see a summary and how far it is from the home in your search—or from the place you already booked. Later this year, see different map views, including satellite, street, and transit, based on your preference.
  • Reserve Now, Pay Later – With Reserve Now, Pay Later, guests have the option to reserve an eligible stay and pay $0 upfront. We launched this in the US earlier this year, and starting next year, it will be available worldwide for both domestic and international trips.

Expanded AI-powered customer support

Our AI assistant is getting even better with smarter responses and support in more places for guests and hosts.

  • More languages, more countries – The assistant will be available in English, Spanish and French, for users in the US, Mexico and Canada.
  • Smarter answers – The assistant can recognize you, your reservation, or your listing and provide quicker, more tailored responses.
  • Built-in actions – The assistant will let you take actions right in the chat, with interactive cards for common tasks like cancelling a reservation or changing dates.

Upgrades for hosts

We’re also rolling out highly-requested features to give hosts more flexibility and insight.

  • Dynamic cancellation policies – Set different cancellation policies for specific dates—like holidays or off-peak seasons.
  • Improved price tips – View price tips for dates up to a year in advance and adopt all tips in just one tap.
  • Updated earnings dashboard – Starting next year, view earnings trends year-over-year and compare seasonal performance in an all new tab.

Workers in the data and analytics industry are optimistic of pay rises and job stability into 2025

A recent study of data analytics and AI workers in Ireland has revealed a positive outlook for salary growth with 63% expecting to see a salary increase of up to 10% this year. Workers in the data and analytics industry are optimistic of pay rises and job stability into 2025

The survey by the Analytics Institute and leader in data and AI, SAS, also reflects optimism around hiring as 37% of organisations in Ireland confirmed their intention to increase their data workforce by more than 10% this year. Job stability looks positive too, with 81% of employees intending to stay with their current employer in 2025.

Respondents revealed that job satisfaction remains high with nearly three-quarters of workers saying they would recommend their employer to a friend, while 39% said they enjoy their current role “a lot” and 50% said they enjoy it “a moderate amount”.

The findings have been revealed in the Data Salaries and Job Sentiment Analysis 2025 report, which surveyed 200 professional Analytics Institute members working in data analytics and AI roles. It highlights the latest trends shaping the data sector from salary expectations and job opportunities to employee sentiment and training requirements.

Alan McGlinn, Ireland Country Lead at SAS, said: “These findings prove that demand for AI and data-related skills remains high, and this is reflected in salary levels, increases and rising optimism about wage growth in 2025.

“While employees with these skills are in demand, those with the right combination of skills will be in particularly high demand. The findings reveal that those who changed employer within the last 12 months received significantly higher salary increases, and we might start to see more rapid career progression for some individuals and higher staff turnover.”

Data visualisation and BI reporting were revealed as critical skills to the sector, with 70% of people still believing them to be important, along with project management. Meanwhile, the report showed statistical modelling and prescriptive analytics as declining skills areas due to reduced demand for traditional predictive approaches. Not surprisingly machine learning and AI has gained consistent importance, growing from 30% in 2023 to 34% in 2025.

Lorcan Malone, Chief Executive of The Analytics Institute, said this sheds light on the key drivers for talent retention and workforce upskilling within the data analytics and AI sectors.

He added: “By understanding these dynamics, businesses can better position themselves to attract, develop, and retain the talent they need to stay ahead in an increasingly competitive market.

“The rapid expansion of AI technologies is beginning to reshape the world of work. As companies seek to leverage these technologies, they must ensure their teams are not only equipped with the latest technical skills but also able to adapt to a constantly changing landscape. This makes investing in talent development and upskilling initiatives more critical than ever.”

While employees with these skills are in demand, those with the right combination of skills will be in particularly high demand. For those who had changed jobs within the last 12 months, the top reasons employees gave for this were:

●      Increased salary (67%)

●      For a more interesting and challenging role (32%)

●      For increased remuneration (21%)

●      For better working conditions / culture (14%)

For those who hadn’t changed employers in the last 12 months, a high proportion had still received a salary increase, but beyond this, other important factors for jobs satisfaction they highlighted included:

●      Meaningful work (64%)

●      Supportive boss (48%)

●      Hybrid work (43%)

●      Career progression (32%)

●      Nice colleagues (30%)

Overall, the report proves that as businesses increasingly rely on data -driven insights to make critical decisions, the demand for professionals with key skills remains high. Organisations that understand the incremental gains that employees with these core skills can deliver across their business, are willing to reward the best performers with significantly higher salaries and the added support to do their jobs well.

To find out more about how SAS can help businesses to work smarter with data and AI visit www.sas.com.

The full report can be found here – analyticsinstitute.org/resource/salaries-and-sentiment-analysis-2025.html

Pay equity a top challenge for nearly a third of employers in Ireland

SD Worx Ireland, a leading payroll and HR solutions provider, today announces the results of its latest research which found that 30% of employers in Ireland cite pay equity as a top challenge when it comes to rewarding employees. To tackle this, nearly three-quarters (74%) of Irish organisations say they are investing in pay equity initiatives.

The independent study was commissioned by SD Worx and carried out by iVOX among 1,000 employers in Ireland to gain insights into how organisations are rewarding their employees and addressing gender pay inequity in a changing and competitive talent landscape.

The EU Pay Transparency Directive, which came into force in 2023, requires Irish organisations to report and provide transparency across key areas including pay equity and gender pay gaps. SD Worx’s research found that some 49% of employers in Ireland are committed to pay transparency, which would see the pay level of employees being made available to employees of similar grade in the organisation. Moreover, 43% of organisations cite pay transparency as a top challenge when rewarding employees.

As the war for talent continues to rage, businesses are adopting more strategic approaches to rewards. More than half (51%) of employers say their reward policy plays an essential role in their reputation as an employer. As such, 31% are offering flexible wage payment dates, which could include paying employees early, or paying on special request.

Some employees have the flexibility to choose how they would like to be rewarded, and 31% of employers say that workers can put together their own reward package based on an allocated budget. Aside from salary, employee rewards offered by Irish employers include bonuses and commission (53%), health and wellness benefits (48%), and vouchers (45%).

The survey suggests that the rising cost of doing business is having a significant impact on employers. Over half (51%) say that their organisation is struggling to strike a balance between attractive rewards and manageable labour costs. The same number of employers state that total wage costs are on the rise, while 42% cited wage cost pressures as another key challenge when it comes to rewarding employees.

Eimear Byrne, Country Leader, SD Worx Ireland, said: “Tackling pay inequity needs to be at the forefront of employers’ agendas in Ireland, as equal pay for equivalent work should be the rule, not the exception. Businesses of all sizes must establish structures to effectively manage their pay transparency obligations, especially as mandatory gender pay gap reporting is extending to organisations with more than 50 employees in 2025.

“Businesses must place their team members at the core of all business decisions – particularly in relation to rewards and remuneration. Not only will this lead to happier, engaged, and productive employees who are more likely to stay long-term, it will also set organisations apart as they look to attract new, skilled workers.

“The ever-increasing cost of doing business is being felt across the board, and our research shows that Irish employers are finding it difficult to balance what employees want and need with what the business can reasonably afford to do. To navigate these challenges effectively, organisations need to be capable of delivering transparent reporting and supporting wage cost projections. These tools are essential for businesses to ensure sustainable success.”

eir’s gender pay gap narrows to 1.59%

eir, Ireland’s leading telecommunications provider, has today published its 2024 Gender Pay Gap Report, which shows that the gender pay gap has narrowed to 1.59%, significantly closing the gap and nearing complete closure since eir’s first report in 2021. eir remains dedicated to closing the gender pay gap by 2030, aligning with broader Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) objectives.

Since the publication of eir’s first Gender Pay Gap Report in 2021, the company’s Mean Pay Gap has decreased from 11.2% to 1.59%, reflecting a significant reduction of 9.6% over the past three years. This improvement is favourable when compared to the Irish Mean Gender Pay gap of 12.6%.

The decline in our Mean Pay Gap can be attributed to several factors, including enhanced gender balance, particularly in senior roles and those that attract higher overall reward. Additionally, it is significantly influenced by bonus payments that predominantly benefit the female workforce.

Meanwhile, the wider Senior leadership population in eir team shows a gender split of 42% female to 58% male, reflecting a gradual year-on-year improvement.

Since the initial gender pay gap report, eir has seen an increase in female representation in senior roles, alongside recruitment efforts in STEM and traditionally male-dominated areas such as engineering and technology. eir’s Senior Management Team comprises 46% female leaders, marking a significant achievement in advancing gender balance within the organisation.

Alongside the Gender Pay Gap report, eir is also launching its Diversity Equality & Inclusion (DE&I) Policy, and key initiatives include mentorship programmes and partnerships with educational institutions, strengthening its diverse talent pipeline.

Oliver Loomes, CEO of eir, “At eir, our purpose is to connect for a better Ireland and as part of our ESG strategy, we set a goal to eliminate the Gender Pay Gap entirely by 2030, supported by a clear and actionable plan. Our 2024 Gender Pay Gap Report highlights the significant progress we’ve made, reducing the gap to 1.59%—an almost 4% improvement from last year’s 5.51% and a 9.6% reduction since our first report in 2021.”

“This progress reflects our commitment to progress. By creating a workplace where opportunities are accessible to all, we are investing in the long-term sustainability of our workforce and ensuring that our business remains competitive and resilient.”

Sandra Donohue, Director of HR at eir, “As we publish our Gender Pay Gap Report this year, we are pleased to see a further reduction in the Mean Gender Pay Gap, which reflects the progress made on female representation, particularly in senior positions. We are making progress, and this makes us even more determined to continue our commitment to sustained action until we eliminate the Gender Pay Gap completely. 

“Attracting female talent into non-traditional and STEM roles remains our long-term priority.  We will continue to engage with the educational sector to inspire young people to consider the variety and breadth of career opportunities in STEM, whether that be in eir or other industries.

“We can only sustain this progress by ensuring we focus on gender diversity at all levels and that we are building a strong pipeline of female talent to fill future leadership roles.  This year, we have introduced our Diversity, Equality & Inclusion policy and established formal action plans, providing a clear roadmap of initiatives to continue to ensure we are eir for all.”

A full link to the eir DE&I Policy 2024 can be found here: eir.ie/sustainability/policies/

Revolut enables Tap to Pay on iPhone for business and freelance customers in Ireland

Revolut, the global fintech with more than 45 million customers worldwide and over 2.8 million in Ireland, today announced that it has enabled Apple’s Tap to Pay on iPhone contactless payment acceptance technology for Revolut Pro and Revolut Business customers across Ireland.

With Tap to Pay on iPhone and the Revolut iOS app, designed for customers with a Pro account, such as sole proprietors or small business owners, or the Revolut Business iOS app for business of all sizes, Revolut customers will now be able to accept in-person, contactless payments with just an iPhone – no need for additional terminals or hardware. The feature provides an easy way for merchants to accept payments from contactless debit and credit cards, Apple Pay and other digital wallets that enable contactless transactions.

For payments to be accepted, customers simply need to hold their contactless card or payment device near the merchant’s iPhone until the transaction is complete, just as with a traditional contactless payment terminal. Apple’s Tap to Pay on iPhone technology uses the built-in features of iPhone to keep both business and customer data private and secure. 

Revolut Pro and Business customers can start using Tap to Pay on iPhone directly within the Revolut app or the Revolut Business app. New customers wishing to use Tap to Pay on iPhone can do so by downloading the Revolut app or the Revolut Business app on the Apple App Store using an iPhone XS or later running the latest iOS version. From there, they can sign up with a Revolut Pro or Revolut Business account directly within the app to start accepting contactless payments within minutes.*

James Gibson, GM of Revolut Business: “Since 2017, Revolut Business has been providing hundreds of thousands of business customers around the world with a comprehensive platform to manage business finances effectively. We are excited to be amongst the first to enable Tap to Pay on iPhone for our business customers in Ireland and to be providing this simple and secure solution that offers greater flexibility for accepting payments. We are continuously expanding the benefits of the Revolut Business platform, and this is another great tool to support customers to do business seamlessly.”

Alex Codina, GM of Merchant Acquiring at Revolut: “Our ambition in Merchant Acquiring is to provide customers with the products and services they need to accept payments in a secure and convenient manner. The launch of Tap to Pay on iPhone allows us to offer greater choice for both consumers and merchants in Ireland. We expect to see all kinds of businesses, from retail stores to barbershops and food stands, quickly start accepting in-person contactless payments with only an iPhone.” *Terms and Conditions apply.

Some contactless cards may not be accepted. The Contactless Symbol is a trademark owned by and used with permission of EMVCo, LLC. Tap to Pay on iPhone is not available in all markets.