Number of funerals held at Wexford cemetery may be increased as some families wait week to bury loved ones
Wexford PeopleWexford County Council (WCC) is to explore the possibility of increasing the number of funerals taking place on a daily basis at Crosstown Cemetery. Currently there is a limit of two funerals per day, however, with some families waiting up to a week to bury their loved ones, calls have been made to break with tradition and hold three per day.
At the monthly meeting of the Wexford Borough, district manager Anthony Bailey said the existing system had been created out of “due respect for families”
"That’s been the traditional approach,” he continued. “The last thing anyone wants is for two funerals to be taking place at the same time.”
Having spoken to families who have had funerals delayed due to scheduling issues, Councillor Raymond Shannon asked that some leniency be shown to ensure burials could take place as soon as possible.
“The town has grown a lot, we should have scope for more funerals to be held,” he said. “Can we discuss it with the undertakers and try and find a solution?”
“We can have a meeting with the undertakers,” replied Mr Bailey. “We want to be as flexible as possible and be accommodating for people who are mourning.”
Accepting that it would not be possible to hold three funerals a day all year round, Cllr Leonard Kelly suggesed “a seasonal approach” with additional burials taking place in the summer months,
Separately, Mr Bailey confirmed that WCC has began work on extending the cemetery into the adjoining site but said this project was very much at the “preliminary stage”.