EML Payments (ASX: EML) (S&P/ASX 200) is delighted to win a tender to disburse an AU$273million economic stimulus boost to the citizens of Northern Ireland through Mastercard prepaid cards. The new High Street Scheme (HSS) will provide everyone resident in Northern Ireland, aged 18 and over, with a prepaid card worth £100 to spend in local businesses. It follows the innovative, world-first card-based stimulus solution that EML and Mastercard developed for the Government of Jersey in 2020.

”This scheme is a key element of my Department’s Economic Recovery Action Plan and will give a very welcome boost to our high streets, which were hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic,” commented Gordon Lyons, Northern Ireland’s Minister for the Economy.

”Using our payment technology, the Northern Ireland Government can determine how much, where and over what timeframe taxpayers’ funds can be spent, maximising the impact and benefits for the communities and businesses in which they are trying to reach,’’ explained Kelly Devine, Divisional President, UK and Ireland at Mastercard.

”Our award-winning economic stimulus product trusted by governments worldwide will help to boost the Northern Ireland economy by AU$273million,” stated Lee Britton, CEO Europe at EML.

EML is committed to helping governments worldwide to get money to people who need it most – fast. Most recently, citizens in the United States, the United Kingdom, Jersey, Australia, Spain, Italy and Finland have been assisted with innovative Disbursement-as-a-Service (DaaS) payment solutions across 562 EML initiatives.