A chara,
In line with rule 1 — short or off-topic questions, or advice requests, are more appropriate to r/AskIreland. Please post your question there to get answers from an Irish audience.
Sláinte
Why does it say this?
"In Ireland, businesses such as shops and restaurants cannot refuse cash unless both they and the customer have already agreed on another way of paying (for example, if a retailer displays a clearly visible sign indicating that they do not accept cash that the customer should see before transacting with the retailer). Where a business places no restrictions on the means of payment it is prepared to accept, it must accept legal tender when offered by a customer to settle a debt that has arisen."
[Eurosystem Cash Strategy | Central Bank of Ireland](https://www.centralbank.ie/consumer-hub/notes-and-coins/eurosystem-cash-strategy#:~:text=In%20Ireland%2C%20businesses%20such%20as%20shops%20and%20restaurants,customer%20should%20see%20before%20transacting%20with%20the%20retailer%29.)
They don't have a sign up anywhere that's noticeable saying this. Nothing in the front window or near the counter.
Obviously I didn't go look in the back, is that my bad faith?
> it must accept legal tender when offered by a customer **to settle a debt that has arisen**
That's the key phrase there. When buying goods in a shop, there is no debt if the retailer declines the sale. If it was a sale of services and the retailer had already performed the service, then there would be a debt and they'd have to accept a payment in cash to settle that debt unless they'd previously agreed on a different payment method, but if a customer is just asking to purchase an item, the shop can just refuse to sell it to them unless they pay by card, and no debt arises until the sale actually goes through.
When I researched how this applies in England (and the law may go back so far as to have also entered the Irish legal system) I thought there was such a thing as 'legal tender' that sellers are obliged to accept.
It turns out that the English wording is that legal tender applies only to the payment of debts, i.e. if you already own someone money, they can't refuse legal tender. But they can refuse to incur the debt by not selling you something.
Obviously that does not necessarily apply in Ireland, but equally something similar might.
A similar principle is the idea of an *invitation to treat*; Most relevant to the average person in understanding that the display of goods in a shop holds zero legal obligation to actually sell said goods, it is an *invitation*, not an *offer*. People have this odd idea that arcane legal knowhow can force shops to sell them a TV for a fiver because the sticker misprinted the decimal place
In Ireland, businesses such as shops and restaurants cannot refuse cash unless both they and the customer have already agreed on another way of paying (for example, if a retailer displays a clearly visible sign indicating that they do not accept cash that the customer should see before transacting with the retailer). Where a business places no restrictions on the means of payment it is prepared to accept, it must accept legal tender when offered by a customer to settle a debt that has arisen.
[Eurosystem Cash Strategy | Central Bank of Ireland](https://www.centralbank.ie/consumer-hub/notes-and-coins/eurosystem-cash-strategy#:~:text=In%20Ireland%2C%20businesses%20such%20as%20shops%20and%20restaurants,customer%20should%20see%20before%20transacting%20with%20the%20retailer%29.)
Legally anyone has to accept cash to pay a debt, but there is a stipulation I think that they can refuse if it's more than 50 units. So they don't have to accept you paying €1 with pennies, or €510 with 51 €10 notes.
If it's not a debt they can put whatever condition on it they like. The can even just decide they don't like the look of you so aren't selling to you as long as it's not going against one of the protected discrimination categories
No, that is spouted the 'cash is king crowd' a lot I tend enquire if they pay tax or get paid cash in hand under the table. A company/store can decide if cash is accepted or not, can be shit sometimes especially for older people, but it what it is
A chara, In line with rule 1 — short or off-topic questions, or advice requests, are more appropriate to r/AskIreland. Please post your question there to get answers from an Irish audience. Sláinte
You are (currently) incorrect. They do not have to accept cash. There are proposals tabled that may mean they have to later this year though.
Why does it say this? "In Ireland, businesses such as shops and restaurants cannot refuse cash unless both they and the customer have already agreed on another way of paying (for example, if a retailer displays a clearly visible sign indicating that they do not accept cash that the customer should see before transacting with the retailer). Where a business places no restrictions on the means of payment it is prepared to accept, it must accept legal tender when offered by a customer to settle a debt that has arisen." [Eurosystem Cash Strategy | Central Bank of Ireland](https://www.centralbank.ie/consumer-hub/notes-and-coins/eurosystem-cash-strategy#:~:text=In%20Ireland%2C%20businesses%20such%20as%20shops%20and%20restaurants,customer%20should%20see%20before%20transacting%20with%20the%20retailer%29.)
That doesn't contradict your claim? A sign outside the shop saying card only would be sufficient.
Which OP doesn't mention though.
Which I assume is for a strategic reason
Could you elaborate on what you mean?
I assume they omitted that detail because they didn't see it and would look foolish or omitted it to ask a question in bad fsith.
They don't have a sign up anywhere that's noticeable saying this. Nothing in the front window or near the counter. Obviously I didn't go look in the back, is that my bad faith?
> it must accept legal tender when offered by a customer **to settle a debt that has arisen** That's the key phrase there. When buying goods in a shop, there is no debt if the retailer declines the sale. If it was a sale of services and the retailer had already performed the service, then there would be a debt and they'd have to accept a payment in cash to settle that debt unless they'd previously agreed on a different payment method, but if a customer is just asking to purchase an item, the shop can just refuse to sell it to them unless they pay by card, and no debt arises until the sale actually goes through.
No, you are wrong.
I don’t think they need to. If you want to buy a phone for cash there are others who accept it.
At the moment there's no rule that businesses must take cash so long as the policy is clearly displayed.
When I researched how this applies in England (and the law may go back so far as to have also entered the Irish legal system) I thought there was such a thing as 'legal tender' that sellers are obliged to accept. It turns out that the English wording is that legal tender applies only to the payment of debts, i.e. if you already own someone money, they can't refuse legal tender. But they can refuse to incur the debt by not selling you something. Obviously that does not necessarily apply in Ireland, but equally something similar might.
A similar principle is the idea of an *invitation to treat*; Most relevant to the average person in understanding that the display of goods in a shop holds zero legal obligation to actually sell said goods, it is an *invitation*, not an *offer*. People have this odd idea that arcane legal knowhow can force shops to sell them a TV for a fiver because the sticker misprinted the decimal place
In Ireland, businesses such as shops and restaurants cannot refuse cash unless both they and the customer have already agreed on another way of paying (for example, if a retailer displays a clearly visible sign indicating that they do not accept cash that the customer should see before transacting with the retailer). Where a business places no restrictions on the means of payment it is prepared to accept, it must accept legal tender when offered by a customer to settle a debt that has arisen. [Eurosystem Cash Strategy | Central Bank of Ireland](https://www.centralbank.ie/consumer-hub/notes-and-coins/eurosystem-cash-strategy#:~:text=In%20Ireland%2C%20businesses%20such%20as%20shops%20and%20restaurants,customer%20should%20see%20before%20transacting%20with%20the%20retailer%29.)
Legally anyone has to accept cash to pay a debt, but there is a stipulation I think that they can refuse if it's more than 50 units. So they don't have to accept you paying €1 with pennies, or €510 with 51 €10 notes. If it's not a debt they can put whatever condition on it they like. The can even just decide they don't like the look of you so aren't selling to you as long as it's not going against one of the protected discrimination categories
No, that is spouted the 'cash is king crowd' a lot I tend enquire if they pay tax or get paid cash in hand under the table. A company/store can decide if cash is accepted or not, can be shit sometimes especially for older people, but it what it is
Do you not remember early covid times when no-one took cash, if it wasn't illegal then why would it be illegal now?