LIMERICK City and County Council have intensified efforts to find suitable land for a new cemetery in Abbeyfeale.
With 20 graves left at Reilig Íde Naofa cemetery in Limerick’s second biggest county town, councillors at Wednesday’s Newcastle West Municipal District meeting of Limerick City and County Council once again pressed home the urgency of the matter.
Fianna Fail councillor Francis Foley stressed to the council executive that a graveyard is badly needed in the town.
“This is a given. A site needs to be identified and if that doesn’t happen then you have to look at engineering one,” he told them.
Cllr Foley is of the view that the local authority needs to take more proactive measures to secure land for a new cemetery in Abbeyfeale.
“Bring in the right soil if what’s there isn’t the right quality. This needs to happen as soon as possible.”
According to Director of Services for Newcastle West Municipal District, Gordon Daly, four sites are currently being investigated as possible locations for a new graveyard in the town. He pointed out that the seriousness of the situation wasn’t lost on the Council and reassured local representatives that efforts had been intensified.
Fine Gael councillor Liam Galvin claimed he wasn’t hearing anything he hadn’t heard before.
“This is serious. People in Abbeyfeale are worried. They need a place to bury their parents and relatives. This has been going on for years. Pick the most suitable site.” he added.
by Alan Jacques