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SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, November 13, 2023

QUESTION NO. 35

QUESTION: Councillor Joanna Tuffy

To ask the CEO for a report into grave plots in the county. Report to include how many grave plots are still available for future purchase in each of its municipal graveyards and plans for finding additional plots in the county.

REPLY:

The preparation of a Burial Grounds Strategy was commenced by the Environment, Water and Climate Change SPC, part of this process includes the examination of the provision of grave spaces with in the county.  The examination of related issues will look at the current and future provision of grave spaces in privately developed graveyards as well as Council owned ones.

There are 3 Council owned graveyards where graves are available for sale and these are Bohernabreena, Saggart and Newcastle graveyards.  There are currently 54 plots available for sale in Bohernabreena with scope for the development of another 2,200 plots with the next 600 of these to be developed later this year.  There are also cremation plots and angels plots included in figure above, available in Bohernabreena and these are being developed in accordance with the need and demand for them. 

The extension to Saggart graveyard in 2001 provided approximately 700 additional spaces with 305 of these remaining.  There is no scope for further development of additional plots in Saggart graveyard.  

The Muslim graveyard at Newcastle currently has 76 plots available for both adults and children and this section will be further developed as required.  There is scope for the development of an additional 900 plots in the Muslim section.  In the non-denominational section of Newcastle graveyard there are 466 plots available with scope to develop a further 1,600 plots in the future. 

There are no grave plots remaining in Esker graveyard however provision was made in the 2023 revenue budget for the development of a Columbarium Wall for cremation urns, and plans are being prepared for this and are progressing at the present time.  A new privately operated graveyard, Esker Lawns Cemetery, has opened recently in the area with 3,400 grave plots available there.

The privately operated graveyards at Newlands Cross, Mount Venus and Kilmashogue, continue to operate and the available capacity at these locations will be established through the review process and preparation of the burial grounds strategy.