Cost of dying to rise twice in two years

The cost of dying is set to rise significantly for anyone wishing to be buried in Ballyglass Cemetery, Mullingar, or any of the five cemeteries run by Westmeath County Council.

At their July meeting last Monday, members of the county council agreed to increase burial costs by 20 percent this year and by another 20 percent next year. Columbarium wall costs are to rise too, by 10 percent this year and another 10 percent next year.

It is the first time in 13 years that the charges have been increased. Last year, cemetery charges brought in €161,000 while running costs reached €465,000, excluding capital expenditure. Therefore, approximately 65 percent of the cost is being subsidised by ratepayers, regardless of whether they use the service.

The first-stage increase is expected to generate an additional €32,200 annually, bringing projected income to approximately €193,000.

Even with the increase, cemetery income would cover only around 41 percent of the annual running costs, underlining the council view that the second-stage increase will be necessary, alongside the development of a multi-year capital funding strategy to fund future cemetery infrastructure and expansion.

The council expect to spend about €500,000 shortly, extending Coosan Cemetery to provide additional burial capacity for the coming years. Looking further ahead, they will need to acquire and develop a new burial ground within the next decade.

The local authority is responsible for five burial grounds across the county - Coosan and Cornmagh in Athlone, Killeagh in Castledaly, Donegan in Mount Temple, and Ballyglass in Mullingar.

Those wishing to be buried elsewhere face a different problem. If any graveyard, other than those five, needs to be extended, it is entirely up to the local community, in conjunction with the church, to do it.

That came to light when Cllr Vinny McCormack asked if the churches had any responsibility to provide graveyards, or was it all left to the county council. He said that people like to be buried in their local graveyards. "The people of Ballymore wouldn’t be too impressed if they had to go to Donegan or Castledaly to be buried," he said.

Likewise, the people of Drumraney would not want to be buried in Ballymore, Cllr Tom Farrell declared. "We’re very parochial, we like to stick to our own parish," he said. He asked if the council would give grant aid to communities that wished to make their graveyards bigger.

The chief executive Barry Kehoe said no, the council do not provide funding for any graveyard extensions outside the five for which they are responsible.

"We work with the local community where we can to ensure local needs are met, but if people want graveyards in their local community they have to provide and maintain them, in conjunction with the church authorities," Mr Kehoe stated.

The five graveyards the council have responsibility for are consuming a huge about of resources, so if the service were to be expanded it would take more money and more people, he added.

In reply to Cllrs Denis Leonard and David Jones, the chief executive said that the council do have a grant scheme to help communities maintain closed graveyards.

In reply to Cllr Mick Dollard, Mr Kehoe said that the €500,000 for Coosan only covers capital expenditure for the acquisition of land and the provision of roads, boundary fences, drainage, within that land.

By June 2027, it will cost €648, compared to the current €450, to purchase a grave plot in one of the council’s five graveyards. And the cost of a grave opening and burial will rise from €585 to €840. The cost of interment of cremated remains will rise from €100 to €144.

Over the two-year period, the cost of a columbarium wall niche and first opening rises from €800 to €968. Subsequent wall openings will be €121, up from the current €100, and an engraving increases from €300 to €363.

Anyone who feels the charges would cause genuine and undue hardship can write to the council and be considered for reduced or waived charges.

The increased charges were approved by a show of hands and with agreement that they be reviewed every two years.