Kerry County Council is being called on to reduce the cost to purchase a place to hold people’s ashes.
Each individual niche, or place, in the columbarium wall in the new Killarney burial ground will cost €1,200.
Ash plots, which are dedicated places where ashes can be buried in the ground, will cost €200.
Councillors were presented with a draft columbarium wall and ash plot policy at the monthly meeting of Kerry County Council.
They questioned the pricing, with many concerned that the cost was too high.
The online meeting of Kerry County Council heard that the pricing was based on cost recovery.
Director of Services with Kerry County Council John Breen told councillors the columbarium wall in Killarney cost €120,000 and it as 100 niches, which would mean the cost for an individual niche would be €1,200.
Each niche can hold two urns.
Before the pricing was announced, Fianna Fáil councillor Niall Kelleher questioned if it was an executive function; he was informed that it was.
Meanwhile, Labour councillor Marie Moloney and Fianna Fáil councillor Johnnie Wall felt the cost was outlandish and far too dear; councillor Moloney asked for the council to revisit it with a view to reducing the price.
John Breen stated the columbarium wall is constructed of marble and was built to the highest standard; he said all columbarium walls in the county will be priced based on cost recovery.
The draft policy states the inscription on the memorial plaque will be limited to the name of the deceased along with their date of birth and date of death.
Labour councillor Marie Moloney called for the deceased person’s address to be included on the inscription, and Independent councillor Jackie Healy Rae asked the council to allow suitable pictures to be included.
These proposals were supported by other councillors.
