Cemetery restrictions spark local outrage

Local representatives are “livid” that Fingal County Council has restricted vehicular access to the Mulhuddart Cemetery including all-day closure on Sundays despite telling them they would wait until it is discussed at a full council meeting.
The proposals to restrict opening hours for vehicular access first came to the fore at the end of January when the council erected signs outside the cemetery stating vehicular access closures after hours and full closure on Sundays.
Subsequent to this, local residents and local representatives voiced their objection to the Sunday closure and the sign was removed.
Last week the issue was brought up at an area committee meeting and a number of councillors asked management not to proceed with the Sunday closure as this is “traditionally” the day that most people visit their loved ones.
Following a discussion at the meeting, a council spokesperson said they would like to proceed with it on a trial basis and if it “creates any difficulties for people… we will review it.”
It was then suggested that the issue be discussed again at the next full meeting where they will “decide what to do” which was agreed by councillors. However, since the meeting, the proposed restrictions have been put in place and a spokesperson for the council told the Gazette this week, that it was “agreed to proceed” with the proposal and report back to the Area Committee again on March 28.
Cllr Mary McCamley (Lab) said she was “livid”.
“We were promised in the council chamber that this would come up again for discussion at the next area committee meeting. Instead the notice was placed without prior notice for a second time.”
During the meeting, Cllr Kieran Dennison (FG) said: “People want to be able to access it on Sundays and I ask to consider allowing access on Sundays… I think it is only fair.”
He went on to say that their was certain “annoyance” in the locality that the original sign was put up without prior notice.
Cllr Peggy Hamill (Lab) said the people most affected by it are the elderly.
The council said the restriction is to reduce the level of littering, fly-tipping, vandalism and anti-social behaviour taking place within the cemetery outside of normal working hours and due to “staffing issues” the vehicular access will remain closed on Sundays but “pedestrian access will be maintained at all times” with parking available in the parking bay on Church Road.