asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he proposes to issue any commemorative stamps this year and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Fifteen commemorative and other special stamps are being issued this year. Three of these have already issued—one to commemorate the centenary of the arrival in Ireland of the De La Salle Order and two in the Europa series.

The other stamps, to be issued later this year, will be on the following subjects: Irish Fauna and Flora, Irish Music and Dance, Centenary of the birth of Seán O'Casey, Contemporary Irish Art and the usual Christmas series.

Do the Government propose to issue a commemorative stamp to mark the demise of the Department of Economic Planning and Development?

I wish Deputies would be more serious.

I am quite serious. It is a serious question. I refuse to accept the Chair's ruling on that. It was a serious question and it was a serious Department when established, I think.

Could the Minister make any comment on the success of the Shaw and Wilde stamps?

In order to make this matter very serious for Members of the Opposition, who do not seem to take it that seriously, our Philatelic Bureau shows a general upward trend in sales. For example, in 1976 foreign sales were £250,000, total sales £376,000. The 1979 foreign sales were £539,000, total sales being £683,000. That shows a substantial increase from the year 1978 even to the following year.

But the price of the stamp has doubled.

That is not so. Even Deputy Deasy would not fall into that trap. It is so long since Deputy Begley used a stamp he does not even know the price——

Order, please.

Did I hear the Minister of State say that he was issuing a stamp to commemorate the centenary of the birth of Seán O'Casey?

Yes.