Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)

I thank Deputy Broughan for raising this important subject. It is something we all go through in our lives, whether with a family member such as a mother or father, and it is a distressing period where many families are exploited.

It used to be said that the two things one could not avoid were death and taxes. I am not too sure whether in this country over the past decade one could avoid taxes - the previous Administration left quite a number of people away with that.

Deputy Broughan's Bill is not about creating a new agency or quango, but dealing in a positive manner with what is going on in graveyards and crematoriums. Although the number of cremations is quite small by international standards, it is growing. I certainly see this in the Dublin area, where the number is growing at a rapid rate and crematoria are now part of the funeral industry - we should call this an industry.

The funeral industry in Ireland is not being regulated. I believe strongly that it is in need of reform and regulation and that this is not happening at present. The small charge of €25 under the Bill, whether it is accepted or not, is a tiny percentage of the graveyard and crematoria costs currently incurred. If it gave comfort to the public to know that the area was properly regulated and properly managed, and people were not being ripped off, it would be €25 well spent. I would support that within the formula of the Bill.

Other Members mentioned something I raised when I was a member of a local authority in that cremation poses a problem regarding emissions. There is a strong role, both for local authorities and the EPA, in monitoring the mercury element in that regard. That has not been dealt with to date and it needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency to give those living in and around those areas confidence that it is properly monitored and controlled. Regulation in Ireland on this is weak.

I would like to see a comprehensive examination of the costs of burial plots and the opening of graves. On the monopoly system, I am not too sure what happens in the rest of the country, but there is clearly a monopoly situation within the Dublin area. When families are distressed, I believe there has been an element in the past of families being ripped off in some instances. Deputies Dowds and Maloney raised that matter well on previous occasions. I take the point of the Minister of State that there is a shortfall in the Bill, but it is difficult for a single Member to bring forward a Bill which does not have shortfalls. I would like to think this Bill is the beginning of a conversation and debate. Death arrives at families in a very sudden manner and people are not reassured that they are not being ripped off on such occasions.

I thank the Deputy for raising the matter. It is a timely debate. I would not like to think that because the debate is being held on Friday we would go away and forget about it until another newspaper runs a story about how much the funeral industry is ripping people off. I hope the Minister of State takes on board the intentions of the Bill. Let us build on them and give reassurance to families that at a very distressing time they are not ripped off, but that the cremation industry will be properly regulated and people can have confidence in it.

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