Councillor criticises erection of structures contravening bylaws at county Tipperary cemetery

A Cashel councillor has voiced disappointment with Tipperary County Council that structures contravening graveyard bylaws have been erected in Cormac’s Cemetery in his hometown.

Fine Gael Cllr Declan Burgess made his complaint at the council’s monthly meeting in Clonmel last Friday.

He said the council went through an “extensive and thorough process” of passing new bylaws governing cemeteries and he was “really disappointed” that these bylaws were treated only as a piece of paper that were never looked at afterwards.

He said he was concerned about “illegal structures” erected in Cormac’s Cemetery that were not in line with the bylaws and called for them to be removed.

“I know it’s a very sensitive process but we have rules and regulations and I just feel that Cormac’s Cemetery is a law onto itself.

“The by-laws are not being adhered to. Concerns have been raised in the past about the enforcement of the by-laws. I am really disappointed and hope things will change going forward,” he added.

Denis Holland of Tipperary County Council's Environment & Climate Action Section empathised with Cllr Burgess' concerns in relation to monuments at Cormac’s Cemetery and the implementation of the bylaws.

He said the council was introducing a number of measures to address the problem including an approved list of monumental sculptors and a permit system for erecting headstones. Mr Holland said he would discuss the matter directly with Cllr Burgess if he had concerns in relation to a particular location in the cemetery.