LIMERICK City and County Council are actively looking at four potential sites for a new graveyard in Abbeyfeale.
Senior executive engineer Ben Noonan told council members at this week’s Newcastle West Municipal District meeting that the local authority was “actively progressing” this issue.
Four parcels of land have now been identified, which might be suitable for a new cemetery, and landowners had been written to.
The council are now awaiting a response from the landowners before percolation tests can be carried out.
With around 20 graves left at Reilig Íde Naofa cemetery in Limerick’s second biggest county town, councillors stressed the need for swift action.
Fine Gael councillor Liam Galvin commented, “If ye can get a move on with this. Maybe make a call to the landowners, and see if tests can be started this week or next week.
“This is important. When ye are buying land, but it big. Two acres will see us out of trouble, but if we had a 10-acre site we wouldn’t have to worry about graveyards dotted all over the place.”
Sinn Fein councillor Seamus Browne told the council executive that the urgency on this matter had not dissipated.
“If anything it is more urgent. I would like to see a bit more progress on this. Time is running out. We do need a contingency plan because there is no guarantees these sites will pass the percolation tests and there are now less plots available in Abbeyfeale cemetery,” said Cllr Browne.
by Alan Jacques
