Draft bye-laws to limit gravestone styles

By Kevin O'Neill

Plans to introduce new bye-laws for the county's cemeteries - including firmer action to be taken against anyone non-compliant with structural regulations in burial grounds - are soon to be circulated for public observations.

At the most recent sitting of Athlone Moate Municipal District, the current bye-laws, introduced back in 2013, were described as outdated and in clear need for change.

The local authority is responsible for five burial grounds across the county, including Coosan and Cornamagh in Athlone, Killeagh in Castledaly, Donegan in Mount Temple, and Ballyglass Cemetery in the Mullingar-Kinnegad Municipal District.

Councillors present at the meeting agreed to place the proposed new bye-laws on public display after District Manager Annie Blessington said it was vitally important to press ahead with the process as the region needed modern and clear bye-laws to meet modern needs of communities.

Fianna Fáil councillor Frankie Keena praised fellow local councillor Paul Hogan (Independent Ireland Party) for his ongoing work on this issue, saying that Cllr Hogan had driven the push for new cemetery bye-laws.

Cllr Keena seconded the public consideration of the project after Cllr Hogan proposed it goes to a consultation process. District Mayor Liam McDaniel (Fianna Fáil) noted the importance of the public's contribution to the issue, and stressed the importance of the contributions of the people of areas such as Castledaly and Mount Temple, as well as residents of the other areas involved.

His fellow party member Cllr Aonghus O'Rourke enquired to the meeting as to council policies regarding gravestones that are "out of sync" with other gravestones and possibly fall outside the current regulations for grave sizes.

Annie Blessington said the proposed new bye-laws will give the council "more strength" in dealing with such matters, and will allow the council the means to consult with local Gardaí if certain gravestones falls outside the regulated size. She also confirmed to Cllr O'Rourke that at present the council has never enacted any enforcement orders to required people to either remove or adjust headstone sizes to meet requirements.

Cllr John Dolan (Fine Gael) said it is vital the public gets the opportunity to consider the bye-laws, as it might provide important assistance on issues that "have not been thought of previously".

The move comes after the council previously agreed to increase charges for a burial plot and for burials by 20 per cent this year and by another 20 per cent next year. This followed the first review of burial charges in the county in 13 years.

It was agreed by all members that the proposed new bye-laws will soon be released for public consultation for a period of 30 days.