'We'll soon have to bury them standing up' - Concerns over lack of burial space in Laois

The demand for burial walls to be installed and more space made available in Laois cemeteries has been raised by local councillors as Laois County Council approved its budget for 2026 on Monday, November 10.

Of the €132.9 million budget passed by councillors on Monday, €523,730 of this funding will be allocated to the maintenance of burial grounds in the county. Next year's funding for graveyards and cemeteries will be over €51,000 less than this year's budget of €574,847.

Next year's budget will see €413,000 allocated for the maintenance of burial grounds and €110,730 for service support costs. 

With the decrease in funding, a number of councillors argued that greater funding is needed for burial services across the county. A particular issue that was raised was the need for columbarium walls to cater for those who wish to be cremated. 

Columbarium walls are permanent resting places for cremated remains. 

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Councillors have called for the installation of columbarium walls at more cemeteries and graveyards across the county for a number of years. The issue was raised again at Monday's council meeting which discussed next year's budget. 

Currently, St Peter and Paul’s cemetery in Portlaoise is the only cemetery in the entire county that provides such space for cremated remains. 

At the end of last year, an appeal was refused by Laois County Council for the installation of columbarium walls at Bealady cemetery in Rathdowney and St Fintan’s Cemetery in Mountrath. The appeal was refused by the council on the basis of a lack of demand. 

However, councillors have continued to argue that there is a growing demand for such installations in Laois. Cllr John Joe Fennelly raised the issue at Monday's meeting, stating that funding is needed for columbarium walls. Cllr John King agreed, emphasising that there is a "greater need for these walls."

Other concerns were noted in regard to burial grounds in the county, with Cllr Ben Brennan saying that the graveyard in Killeshin is running out of space. 

Cllr Brennan said: "In Killeshin we'll soon have to bury them standing up." He added that there is only 8 or 10 plots left.

Pat Delaney, the Acting Director of Services, told Cllr Brennan that enquiries have been made into the issue and that Killeshin is currently being looked at by the council regarding extending the grounds.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme