The new Killarney graveyard has cost the council at least €460,000 in legal, planning and land transfer costs.
This was revealed in documentation released by Kerry County Council about costs and current grazing contracts for the new graveyard at Knockeendubh.
These include oral hearing and land transfer costs, but exclude council staff time, materials, columbarium, fencing or landscaping costs.
In 2017, a compulsory purchase order to secure lands at Knockeendubh, Killarney was sought for the purpose of a new graveyard.
The landowner at the time, PJ Lynch, was the sole objector to the CPO; he had been in discussions with the council since 2014.
Following an oral hearing, An Bord Pleanála granted the CPO and the new graveyard was opened in 2018.
Legal and consultancy costs for the oral hearing totalled €110,495 and included over €32,000 each to both senior counsel Esmonde Keane and legal firm Downing, Courtney & Larkin, €23,000 to An Bord Pleanála and €9,250 to consultants O'Buachalla & Co Ltd.
Council documents released under the Freedom of Information Act show that in 2018 PJ Lynch was paid €354,000 for the lands, approximately five acres, at Knockeendubh.
In October 2020, the council signed a grazing agreement for three acres with PJ Lynch of Lackabane, Killarney.
This grazing contract is due to end in August.
