This follows its highly successful, first-to the-world-market launch in the UK in January 2012. MobileMerchant is now used by an array of small business owners throughout the UK.

Akin to Elavon's VirtualMerchant Mobile, the company's mobile solution in North America, MobileMerchant is an innovative, secure, complete payment solution that transforms mobile devices into payment terminals, allowing businesses to accept card payments quickly and securely anywhere, anytime, without a major investment of money or effort. MobileMerchant's payment app is paired with a Chip and PIN card reader, allowing payments to be processed using BlackBerry® or Android® smartphones and tablets.

The solution combines the ease of using a mobile phone for payments, with pricing options including an affordable, easy-to-understand rate programme, making it the ideal solution for small businesses on the go, or for companies that have mobile field operatives that would like to extend the convenience of credit and debit acceptance to their customers.

"Elavon is excited to extend this innovative and secure solution to businesses in Ireland, helping to make them more efficient and more profitable. This solution is perfect for the thousands of very small, often mobile, businesses that have previously not been able to accept card payments easily or cost effectively," commented Guy Harris, Elavon Managing Director, Europe. "Not only does our solution enable mobile commerce but it has in-built EMV Chip and PIN security, so small business owners and their customers can confidently process credit and debit card payments, knowing that they are fully protected," Harris concluded.

"With Elavon MobileMerchant I can now take Chip and PIN payments on my mobile phone - that says it all! MobileMerchant will open up new opportunities for me. As a beautician, I don't want to be tied to my salon. Elavon has provided me with a payment solution that I can take with me to my customers' homes, to wedding parties or other out of salon events," Deirdre Keogh, The Beauty Spot, Aughrim, Co. Wicklow, Ireland.

MobileMerchant works with an array of mobile device types -- regardless of carrier -- to ensure freedom of choice. Setup is quick and easy; the business user simply downloads the App to their smartphone, and enters account configuration credentials provided by Elavon. The solution provides full security and support for Chip and PIN cards, magnetic stripe cards and card-not-present transactions. Cardholder data is securely captured and encrypted using a Bluetooth-connected PIN pad, ensuring that no information is captured and stored by the smartphone device. A transaction receipt is sent to the customer by email or text message. A secure and easy-to-use online data management system offers users access to credit and debit card transaction data. Users can also monitor and analyse card transactions, manage user rights, and even run transactions using a secure Virtual Terminal application contained on the portal.

MobileMerchant is an extension of Elavon's full portfolio of payment solutions, and is built on 20 years of experience delivering flexible and secure payment solutions to more than one million businesses around the world.