County Hall calls for restrictions on Cork families attending funerals to be eased

FAMILY members who recently suffered a heartbreaking loss have said the current restrictions around funeral numbers makes life very hard for the bereaved.
They made the comments as Cork County Council decided to write to the Taoiseach to ask for a relaxation of the rules.
“You have a number of large families that can’t attend family funerals, it’s terrible, it’s going down very badly,” Fianna Fáil councillor Joe Carroll said.
The granduncle of Cork girl Abi McGeough who was laid to rest recently after a long battle with illness, has said he would like to see the funeral restrictions relaxed in order for more people to have the chance to grieve properly.
Bobby Lynch didn’t get to be at Abi’s funeral, instead, giving up his place in the church for one of his sisters.
Mr Lynch said the current restrictions that only allowed 10 people to attend a funeral are “desperate” and “ridiculous”.
Abi’s aunt, Penny Dinners coordinator Caitriona Twomey, said that it can be very hard deciding who gets to attend funerals.
“Who decides who grieves the most?” Ms Twomey said.
She added that if 30 or 40 people were allowed in a church, then it would be a lot better.
At a county council meeting held on Monday, Independent councillor Alan Coleman asked that the local authority support calls for the loosening of regulations.
“The request is when someone passes away their partner, children, parents, grandparents, sibling and siblings partners can attend the service,” Mr Coleman said.
Mr Coleman said:“You cannot have a wake at home, you cannot have an open casket, and the use of condolences books are discouraged.”

