Budget boost for voluntary burial ground groups

Tipperary Co Council is to increase its maintenance grant for burial grounds following calls to recognise the voluntary work of those who look after graveyards.

Before the May meeting of the council was a notice of motion in the names of all nine councillors of the Nenagh Municipal District. They called on the council to increase the allocation to each graveyard committee to €1,000 in its budget for 2026.

“In light of the tremendous work carried out by the graveyard committees around County Tipperary, we are requesting that the annual revenue budget increase the allocated amount to €1,000 per committee,” the councillors stated in their motion.

“The graveyard grounds have in the most part seen a significant improvement with a lot of voluntary work being done by local volunteers. Graveyards by their nature are areas where people can remember their loved ones in a serene and dignified manner, and it is important that the grounds are preserved to a good standard.

“Also, graveyards are tourist and historical reference centres, which attract a lot of visitors into our county.”

240 BURIAL GROUNDS

A total of €44,124 was approved for 66 Burial Ground Maintenance Grant applications in the Nenagh district this year. Cllr Michael O'Meara pointed out that this worked out at just €668 per applicant.

Praising the volunteers involved, but adding that it is becoming harder to get volunteers to do the work required, Cllr O'Meara said he and his fellow councillors were seeking to raise the grant to €1,000 “to start with”. They could in future seek to double it. He said it would cost the council around €72,000 to bring the grant to Tipperary's 240 burial grounds up to €1,000.

“We have a budget of well over €200 million,” Cllr O'Meara told the meeting. “If we can't come up with €72,000 in our next budget, we might not have these groups in future.”

In support, Cllr John Carroll said a “small token” was being sought but one that would be put to good use, as upkeep of burial grounds “really fosters community”.

Cllr Phyll Bugler pointed to the heritage value of graveyards. Increased investment in their maintenance would be “money well spent”, she submitted.

Head of Finance Mark Connolly said the council has already looked at increasing the contribution to burial ground committees, possibly to a level higher than that sought by the councillors. The matter would be looked at in the context of the council's 2026 budget, he said.