Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I apologise for being late; I was at another meeting. The Bill conflates many different issues. The regulator of cemeteries should be the local authority and the licensing body in the area. It is a statutory body and probably the most important tier of government, or should be the most important tier of government, as in most other countries. The Bill provides for the establishment of boards of not more than ten members. That is not practical given that cemeteries are provided by a range of bodies. While the Bill appears to deal largely with the situation in Glasnevin, we have to deal with all the other cemeteries around the country. If implemented, there would be huge implications for Church bodies, local authorities and joint burial boards throughout the State. I can foresee many problems with it. In regard to head 2(3)(e), which deals specifically with the issue of competition, there may be some merit in trying to separate the role of cemetery provider from the commercial activities that take place in cemeteries. There should not be monopolies in this area. I have heard the debate as to whether monopolies are operating in the case of Glasnevin Cemetery. The solution is for the local authority to be the regulator and, in many cases, the provider, which is the practice in most counties throughout the State. I have been a member of joint burial boards. That system seems to work reasonably well, though there is room for improvement. There are Church bodies and other bodies that own cemeteries, and commercial interests are also buying and operating cemeteries.

They could be licensed by local authorities.

The work of sculptors, monumental firms, etc., must be opened up to the same laws on commercial activity as everything else and it must be handled very carefully, given the situations that have arisen in different parts of the country. To some extent, that is a separate issue. However, it is the responsibility of the local authority, as regulator, to ensure that everything operates in a fair, proper and professional manner. The Government is supposed to be getting rid of quangos. Establishing another office or quango to manage this would be ludicrous. The local authorities are already in existence and their members are elected by the communities and families that use the services. Responsibility in this regard needs to be vested in the local authorities.