The grave issue of cemeteries under review

NEW Byelaws, which prohibit people (with the exception of people with disabilities) from driving into Limerick cemeteries, victimises older people, according to Cllr John Gilligan. “Have we gone too far in banning cars from driving in to our cemeteries,” he asked at this week’s meeting of the Environmental Strategic Policy Committee. The cost of graves in Limerick city is higher than county graves,” Mayor Jim Long pointed out. He also voiced concern regarding the reduction in the size of graves.

“If we go down eight feet we’re hitting the wall, which is very disturbing for relatives – you see graves hitting a pool of water and we also have the ongoing problem of anti social behaviour in cemeteries”.
Referring to the height of monuments over graves, Cllr Gilligan said:
“For many people, deaths, marriages and births hold great significance – we have seen wedding cakes go from three tiers to 30 tiers, with people having to take the roof off their cars to carry the cakes – anybody who wants to spend thousands in putting in huge monuments in cemeteries can’t expect the city council to look after them”.
“Also, I was in Glasnevin cemetery recently, which has a special area for the remains of people cremated – could we provide a similar facility?”
Pointing out that there is a heath and safety issue regarding vehicles in the cemetery, director of services, Caroline Curley, said: “Cars entering and leaving the cemetery would have to be managed – the graveyard is a workplace.
“But we trust that the cemetery staff will use their initiative and we can’t afford to have extra staff to man the gate. With regard to Mayor Long’s observation regarding graves hitting water – it is rare for this to happen.
“We have not yet created a specified area for cremated remains, and as for suggestions that CCTV be erected in the graveyards – we would need to have them monitored and we are not in a position to do that”.
Cllr Kathleen Leddin recommended that the cemeteries should be open for a few hours, two evenings per month to allow families and relatives to tend to their graves.
Under the new byelaws, each grave, when opened for the first internment, will be sunk to the depth of eight feet at least, “or in case the nature of the subsoil will not permit the grave being sunk to such a depth, the council will specify a lesser depth”.
The byelaws also specify that where possible in new cemeteries, an area will be specifically designated to accommodate the internment of ashes.