Galway funeral rule queried

New regulations on funerals in Galway city requiring burials to be completed before sundown are likely to be debated by Galway City Council in the near future.

Hearses must be at the cemetery gates by 2pm under the rules, which were introduced two months ago by the city council.

Progressive Democrats councillor Terry O'Flaherty has expressed concern about the impact this is having on the timing of funeral services on Sundays.

Burials are permitted on Sundays in Galway, but one funeral Mass had to be held at 9.30am to meet the 2pm burial deadline. This was to allow for scheduling of morning Masses on the same day.

Cllr O'Flaherty has tabled a motion seeking a review of the rules. The council said the rules applied to winter months only, to allow staff filling graves to undertake their work before dark.

Priests were consulted and agreed to the new arrangements, but no hearses had as yet been turned away from cemeteries if they arrived after 2pm, according to the local authority.

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times