A decision by Revenue not to accept commercial debit cards is "preventing farmers" from paying their tax bills over the phone according to one TD.

Fine Gael TD, Naoise Ó Muirí, said farmers can no longer pay "their farm tax liabilities via business debit or credit card over the phone".

Revenue has confirmed that it "no longer accepts payment from commercial debit cards" online.

According to latest figures up to the end of October 2025, Revenue processed 11.8 million tax payments valued at €118 billion.

It has outlined that it "absorbs the processing costs of all payments" including card payments, on behalf of customers and pays for these costs through voted expenditure from the Exchequer.

Card payments

More than 75% of all payment processing costs incurred by Revenue this year are directly related to card payments made through Revenue’s online channels and through its dedicated card payment service.

The Department of Finance has outlined that the processing costs associated with card payments - particularly costs associated with commercial debit and credit cards - "incur a disproportionate cost on the Exchequer relative to the other online payment options offered by Revenue".

Because of this Revenue decided to "discontinue the acceptance of commercial debit cards for tax payments" online or by phone.

It continues to accept consumer debit and credit cards and according to Revenue the majority of taxpayers who make card payments do this using consumer debit and credit cards.

Revenue

However Pat O’Brien, chair of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association (ICMSA) Farm Business Committee has called on Revenue Commissioners to review its position on payments from business accounts and cards.   

O'Brien said according to Revenue's own rules the "business that made the profit is taxed".

As a result he said it is very hard to understand why a farmer may have to transfer money from a business account to a personal account to pay their tax bill because they cannot pay with a commercial debit card.

O'Brien said in many cases, farmers only operate the one account and he believes that Revenue should urgently "review its position and accept payments from business designated accounts".