Council cannot regain control of burial plots sold previously
PRE-SOLD burial plots which remain idle in Bohernabreena Cemetery, cannot be brought back in control of the local authority.
With burial plots in high demand, Renau councillor Rona McMahon asked South Dublin County Council if they could retain control of plots sold in the middle of last century at Bohernabreena Cemetery.
SDCC said they have no legal recourse with regard to pre-sold burial plots, which have yet to be used, and remain in ownership of the purchaser.
At the Rathfarnham area meeting this week, Cllr McMahon asked for a report on burial plots at Bohernabreena Cemetery – including questions on availability of plots.
In response, SDCC said there are on average 363 burials of all and non-denominations at the cemetery annually, with 211 of them involving the re-opening of an existing plot (based on figures from 2008–2015).
Of the approximately 13,000 plots in Bohernabreena – 11,000 are developed/used and two thousand are undeveloped.
SDCC is currently carrying out a project of digitising all the purchase books for Bohernabreena Cemetery.
Due to the condition of books, cross-referencing and staff resources, the completion of this project will most likely be in 2019.
Until this project is complete, SDCC say the exact number cannot be given of plots booked/sold/not yet opened between the old and new sections of the cemetery.
New rules in purchasing a plot in the cemetery mean that grave spaces cannot now be purchased in advance, and can only be purchased at the time of death, according to the council.
