Allied Irish Bank (AIB) to Select Maestro Payment Cards

Allied Irish Bank (AIB) is to convert all its debit and ATM-only cards to Maestro with immediate effect, doubling its total portfolio of Maestro-branded cards. Under the agreement, all AIB debit and ATM cards will be co-branded Laser Maestro cards.

The conversion is the largest of its kind in Ireland and will provide a SEPA-compliant product in the Irish market, although the ECB - which has indicated that co-branding of domestic and international schemes is its least preferred approach to SEPA compliance - will no doubt disapprove.

AIB says the agreement will provide its cardholders with a common debit card experience across the SEPA region. “We see this portfolio migration as a further step towards more innovative products and solutions for our cardholders and an opportunity to provide our customers with an enhanced and consistent debit card experience across the globe,” says AIB head of card issuing Mick McCarthy.

AIB accounts for just under half the 1.2 million Laser debit cards issued in Ireland. Bank of Ireland, the other large Laser issuer, already co-brands with Maestro for cross-border use. European Card Review [September - October 2007].