Bank of Ireland announced back in October 2010 that in 2011 they were replacing Laser cards with Visa Debit cards.
They originally said it would happen in the second half of 2011. It looks like this may have been a ploy to stop customers leaving – because thay have only now announced that existing Bank of Ireland customers will receive Visa Debit cards on a phased basis between January and June 2012.
Bank of Ireland say that from 31st January 2012 they will no longer issue Debit and ATM cards under the Laser, Cirrus and Maestro schemes.