asked the Minister for Finance if he will increase the centenarians bounty to £100 and thus provide a fitting tribute to those who reach this age; and, if not, why.

4.

asked the Minister for Finance the number of persons who received the centenarians' bounty over the past five years.

I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 3 and 4 together.

The centenarians' bounty was increased from £5 to £50 with effect from 1 August 1970 and I am not considering increasing it further at present. The bounty is essentially a gesture or token of recognition and the amount itself has no special significance.

The total number of persons who received the bounty in the five years 1973 to 1977 was 153.

Did I understand the Minister to say that in a five-year period 153 people received the bounty?

Yes.

Would the Minister agree that it would not strain the financial position too much to allow £1 for each year and give a bounty of £100?

That is the basic question which the Minister has answered.