For those who believe in the ultimate long-term investment, Bank of Ireland has joined with the Irish Association of Funeral Directors to provide a trust scheme to help you to pay for your funeral.

Under the Serenity scheme, you can organise and agree an arrangement to pay for your funeral through a series of regular payments that are deposited in a designated fund at the Bank of Ireland.

The bank acts as trustee and guarantees the monies you contribute to your plan and invests it in a fund that can be drawn down at any time. It charges an administrative fee of around £100.