Ciara Galvin
MAYO County Council last week revealed plans to regulate the type of monuments allowed to be erected in graveyards across the county.
A detailed document contained some 20 bye-laws pertaining to the regulation of graveyard came before a meeting of the Environmental Policy and Agricultural Strategic Policy Committee with the aim being to eradicate such problems as unlicensed monument erectors and the non-removal of flowers and wreaths from burial plots.
The proposed bye-law in relation to the erection of headstones will force all headstones to require submission and be granted permission by the council before erection. The height of a proposed structure may not exceed 1.4 metres above ground level of the plot unless specifically authorised by regulations of the cemetery.
Councillor and Chairman of the committee, Peter Flynn, explained that where people abuse these laws they will be prosecuted. He also said bye-laws will be made public for two months and issues riaised will be answered thereafter.
Speaking in relation to issues of health and safety regulations while carrying out work in a cemetery, Johnny Groden, a representative of the Mayo Community Forum, highlighted that he would not like to see regulations interfere with the goodwill of neighbours digging graves for the dead. His point received the backing of all the other attendees at the meeting,
Cllr Flynn said that at the end of the day there was an obligation on everybody to look after cemeteries.