Councillor “can’t afford to die” because funeral costs have become too expensive
HAVING seen a bill recently for a funeral which ran to €17,500, a Sligo Councillor told his colleagues he “can’t afford to die” as the cost of a funeral is so expensive.
He went on to claim that some undertakers are becoming multi-millionaires at a time when families are at their lowest.
Commenting on a motion from colleague Cllr Gerard Mullaney to have columbariums provided at as many cemeteries as possible in Sligo, Cllr Michael Clarke said he felt sorry for families taking the brunt of funeral costs because they are so high.
At the January meeting of Sligo County Council, he backed Cllr Mullaney’s motion, stating:
“I feel sorry for families who were dealing with the cost of funerals. I know I can’t afford to die at the moment. I saw a bill for a funeral service that ran to €17,500.
“Undertakers are becoming multi-millionaires at a time when families are at their lowest. Anything the Council can do to facilitate families and make the cost of them cheaper at a difficult time for them, is welcome. I one hundred per cent support the motion.”
Explaining why he brought the motion, the lack of space and the cost of land for cemeteries are among the compelling reasons why the cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council thinks the possibility of providing columbariums in as many cemeteries as possible in the county should be investigated.
Cllr Mullaney pointed out to Council members that cremation services have become a preferred choice for funerals as space in Sligo cemeteries becomes a major issue.
He told members that the installation of columbariums in cemeteries would be a good way to deal with the issue.
He received widespread support for his motion at the
January meeting of SCC.
“It is becoming more and more difficult for local authorities to secure land to extend cemeteries,” he said.
“We should look at providing a facility that is required to allow us to store the ashes in as many cemeteries in Sligo as possible,” he said.
Cllr Thomas Walsh said there had been support for a plan to fund burial ground provision in Sligo in 2024, adding he hoped they would be able to allow for the provision of a number of additional columbariums in a number of cemeteries in County Sligo.
Cllr Dara Mulvey said there is a trend to use crematoriums of which there were six in total in Ireland, three in Dublin, the others in Cavan, Shannon and Cork.
He was aware Sligo County Council had granted planning permission for a crematorium in Collooney.
“People should not have to travel to the other side of the country to get use of a crematorium. We need to look at this seriously. The one we have in Sligo town is being used and shows that there is a need for them,” he said.
Cllr Tom MacSharry, supporting the motion, said the use of cremation was an option that was becoming more and more popular, and the idea was “timely”.
Cllr Marie Casserly also supported the motion while Cllr Arthur Gibbons said the coulmbarium was needed in every cemetery in County Sligo.
“The remains, the ashes, should remain in the same cemetery as their family, their relations, that is the way forward, so I am in agreement with this, it is a very good idea,” Cllr Gibbons said.
Cllr Tom Fox also supported the motion which was agreed.
The motion as agreed calls on Sligo County Council “to investigate the possibility of providing a columbarium in as many cemeteries as possible as cremation grows in popularity.”