Consumers are using debit cards more and more for purchases, according to the Central Bank, with in-store and online transactions rising again in December.
According to the figures released today, debit card point of sale transactions had grown to over three times the value of credit card spending in December.
People spent €3.6 billion in store in December using their debit card, a 15% increase on the same month in 2016.
Debit cards accounted for €949 million in online spending.
Credit card usage remained largely the same in store, while online spend was €389 million.
There was a 20% rise in debit card usage in restaurants, while credit cards were used less than December 2016 to pay for entertainment, health and clothing.
Debit card expenditure abroad during 2017 amounted to €4.4 billion, an increase of 17% on the 2016 figure.
Credit card expenditure outside Ireland remained relatively stable with a 1% increase in 2017 compared with the 2016 figure.
The total value of debit card expenditure outside Ireland (including ATM transactions) is 2.8 times the value of equivalent credit card expenditure.
