At a recent meeting of the Athlone Area Committee councillors were told that a compulsaory purchase order (CPO ) would be put on the owner of land needed for the extension of Castledaly cemetery.
Cllr Tom Allen had put forward a motion at Tuesday’s meeting asked the council for an update on the Castledaly cemetery extension.
The council responded that it had identified and tested the required lands and has had discussions and exchanged correspondence with the landowner. “However, agreement has not been reached and the council is now finalising documentation to acquire the lands through a compulsory purchase order.”
In response Cllr Allen highlighted the urgent need for an extension to the gravayard saying that “two to three graves” had to be dug before a suitable site was found.
“I don’t agree with a CPO,” he said. “I think the landowner is more than willing to deal with the council.”
Cllr Boxer Moran agreed that a PO was not needed pointing out that the purchase and extension of the graveyard was in fact an investment for the council. “We’re wasting money, this has been going on for four or five years now,” he said.
