Finally: Laois graveyard to receive long awaited upgrades

A Laois town waiting several years for upgrades to their local cemetery has finally been given the go ahead. 

Laois County Councillors have called on the Council to 'support the people of Camross' in getting these required works done.

St. Fergal's Cemetery in Camross is to be assessed by Laois County Council with the view of widening the roads.

Fine Gael Cllr Conor Bergin requested that "Laois County Council carry out works in Camross cemetery to widen the existing entrance into the graveyard to allow hearses and cars to access the graveyard and also  erect a new set of entrance gates to the Cemetery’’.

Pictured: St Fintan's Catholic Church, Camross

"This isn't a new notice of motion, I have had this as a motion before, and it is ongoing for a long time," Cllr Bergin told the Council.

"The existing road into Camross cemetery is too narrow. There is another laneway adjacent to it, and there isn't room for the landowners new house, the builder can't get in," he said.

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"It would suit everyone, and it would suit the landowners, who are offering to allow some land, if local council take on some land there. It would suit the parish, it would suit the priest. Everyone is behind it, even the undertakers.

"It makes sense, at the moment it is too narrow to get into the cemetery. 

"My understanding is that there has been a proposal put together, and that is has been drawn up. John Quigley and Ken Morley here have done a lot of work on it, but it doesn't matter because the budget must be signed off on by the Council," Cllr Bergin argued.

"I am asking that you really try and push this now, because the Council need to sign off on it. And whatever the cost is, it will be money very well spent. There hasn't been works carried out here in a very, very long time. 

"It's a Laois County Council cemetery, so we have responsibility for it. It's a no-brainer, everyone wants it. People want to see this happen now, so the pressure is now on the Council to sign off on this so the project can go ahead," Cllr Bergin finished.

Ms. Georgina Ireland, Senior Executive Officer in Community Services, replied that "Laois County Council is currently assessing the existing entrance at Camross Cemetery with a view to determining a scope of works which may be required to improve vehicular access, together with the associated costs of any such work.

"The extent of any works which might be undertaken will be considered as part of the normal budgetary process," Ms Ireland finished.

Independent Cllr James Kelly gave his full support for this motion, calling for immediate action.

"I fully support this notice of motion, it's just too tight there," Cllr Kelly said.

"The people of Camross look after their village very well, and it's time now that we did the work for them to make things an awful lot easier. Especially when there are funerals we can improve for everyone," Cllr Kelly finished.

This motion was tabled at the February sitting of Laois County Council's Borris-in-Ossory / Mountmellick Municipal District.