It could be the final indignity: a hearse that is almost as old as the deceased.
Now funeral directors would rather you do not know the ripe old age of the car carrying the remains of your dearly departed to their final resting place.
The Irish Association of Funeral Directors (IAFD) has lobbied transport minister Shane Ross to allow its members an exemption from having to display the age of their funeral vehicles on their numberplates.
The representative body said it is concerned that its members are being put under pressure to upgrade their car fleets to ensure that customers get a stylish send-off.
John Foley, association president of the IAFD, wrote to Ross this summer seeking “a distinct registration system for hearses and limousines in Ireland”.
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He said the aim was to ensure “the age of the vehicle is not the predominant factor in its appearance”.
Foley said hearses and limousines should not be judged in the same way as other vehicles because their mileage was a fraction of that of a regular car.
“Most funeral vehicles are only used between 8.30am and 11am and are garaged for the rest of the day,” he said.
Foley, a director of Jennings Undertakers, is concerned that customers may think that stylish send-offs are tarnished by the age of a funeral car, particularly if they are paying up to €8,000 for a funeral.
“We would worry that a family might think less of a car because it is 10 years old. But the cost of a new hearse or limousine is in excess of €100,000, so it’s not something you can change too regularly either,” he said.
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He said funeral cars were kept in pristine condition and regularly valeted, so they did not have the wear and tear of a normal car. “They are not comparable,” he said. “A 10-year-old hearse is on a par with a one- or two-year-old car.”
Foley said that he has been advised by Ross’s officials to direct his request to the finance department.
“That’s where we’re at now,” he said.
“We are also calling for the return of the bereavement grant which was abolished in 2013. Anyone who pays pay related social insurance all their lives should be entitled to that bit of help at the end.”