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Out-Law Analysis 1 min. read
Irish Programme for Government ‘positive step’ for tackling fraud
31 Jan 2025, 4:22 pm
The Irish government has set out its intentions to tackle fraud as part of its recently-published ‘programme for government’, aiming to strengthen the country’s economic integrity and protect public funds from fraudulent activities.
The cabinet formally ratified the 2025 plan following a meeting at Áras an Uachtaráin earlier this month. The programme follows talks between two political parties, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, which have now entered into a coalition agreement.
The programme (162 pages/1.1 MB) outlines a strategy which includes a range of measures designed to enhance collaboration, leverage advanced technologies, and strengthen legislative frameworks. By implementing these initiatives, the government aims to create a safer financial environment, ensuring that Ireland remains a trusted and competitive hub for financial services.
These measures are part of the government’s approach to protect citizens from fraud and maintain integrity of Ireland’s financial services sector, following the results of the joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach (Joint Committee) report, published in October 2024, which highlighted the increasing trend of economic fraud in Ireland.
Strengthening collaboration
Measures from the national payment strategy will be implemented with the goal of effectively and efficiently combatting fraud. The programme also sets out plans to establish a comprehensive fraud database.
The government has pledged to work in collaboration with relevant agencies and industry stakeholders. This collaboration will help to ensure coordinated efforts, sharing best practices in fraud prevention.
SMS scam filter
The government introduced plans to conduct a detailed feasibility study on implementing a short messages service (SMS) scam filter. The proposed scam filter will function similarly to email spam filters, detecting and blocking harmful links or content before they reach consumers’ mobile devices. It follows a recent surge in scam texts across Ireland, with many consumers falling victim to sophisticated fraud schemes.
The filter’s implementation will require new legislation and collaboration with industry stakeholders to ensure effectiveness.
Advocate for national and EU legislation for online platforms
In addition to the SMS scam filter, the programme for government includes plans to advocate for national and EU legislation to ensure that online platforms may only advertise financial products from companies regulated by their competent national authority. This step aims to eliminate fake endorsements and further protect consumers from financial harms.
By working collaboratively with various stakeholders and leveraging advanced technologies, the government aims to create a safer environment for all.
Co-written by Helen Sparrow of Pinsent Masons.
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