Council issues apology after exception made for cremation of IRA man Storey
BELFAST City Council has apologised over its handling of the cremation of a former IRA leader after his family and friends were allowed to hold a private service outside the city’s crematorium chapel while eight other families were turned away.
BBC Radio Ulster’s ‘Nolan Show’ reported that guidance was sent by Belfast City Council to funeral directors last Monday night, the day before Bobby Storey’s funeral, stating that up to 30 people would not be allowed to attend cremations until Wednesday, July 1.
Cremations were cancelled and eight families were denied entry last Tuesday to the facility because of Mr Storey’s funeral.
The council said this was an “error of judgment” and that an exception was made for the loved ones of Mr Storey “for operational reasons”.
Council officials have apologised to the other families affected.
A council spokesperson said: “An operational decision was made that for cremations the new procedures would apply from the cremation of Bobby Storey onwards.
“We accept in hindsight that this was an error of judgment.
“This meant that only one of the nine cremation services on Tuesday had 30 people in attendance; there were four burial services and these burial services had up to 30 in attendance; there were eight cremation services affected.
“We are contacting these families and are deeply sorry for how this error will have affected them.”
Mr Storey’s funeral cortege was led to Milltown Cemetery last week and graveside orations were given.
However, he was not buried there and instead was cremated at Roselawn Crematorium later that day.
UUP councillor Jim Rodgers said he was horrified at the council’s actions.
“It is absolutely disgraceful,” he said.
“There should be no hierarchy with regards to cremations or burials.”
He said what he had heard about the “special measures” for Mr Storey was “worrying and disturbing” and he would be seeking meetings with officials and the police on their actions on the day.
Deputy first minister and Sinn Féin’s leader in the North, Michelle O’Neill, was criticised for her appearance at the funeral where hundreds lined the streets of Belfast.
She insists she did not breach social distancing guidelines and, while she apologised to those families hurt because they were not able to attend funerals, she said she could never apologise for attending the funeral of a friend.