Irish Government Pays Bonus
to Citizens Who Reach 100
DUBLIN - The Government of Ireland has announced that centenarians living outside the State are to be included in the EU2,540 birthday bonus list.
Traditionally the money has only been paid to those still living in the State, but it will now be applicable to anyone born in Ireland, regardless of where they reside.
The Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said, "Over the past decades, hundreds of thousands of our people emigrated out of economic necessity. They made a huge contribution not only to their adopted country but very many of them continued to contribute to their family in Ireland by sending home remittances.
"The Centenarians' Bounty is not just a practical gesture, it is also a token of regard. It is appropriate therefore that this regard should be extended equally to Irish people wherever they are in the world.
"At a time in life for older emigrants when friends and family in Ireland may no longer be as numerous as they once were it is a fitting gesture that the State should acknowledge their 100th birthday," he added.
A working group is to be established to discuss the administration of the new arrangements.
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