A 50 per cent increase in travel expenses for Dail deputies has been provided. A total of £2,928,000 - working out at £17,638 for each of the 166 TDs - has been earmarked, compared to £1,951,000 this year. Seanad members will also benefit from increased travel expenses. Their provision has risen by 61 per cent - up from £785,000 to £1,264,000. Asked to comment on the large increases, a spokesman for the Department of Finance said the Minister had introduced regulations this year allowing for additional overnight and daily allowances, together with new rules governing the claiming of travel expenses. An additional £106,000 has been provided for the centenarians' bounty, which comes from President's establishment Budget. The increase - from £755,000 this year to £861,000 - represents a rise of 14 per cent.