Use part of €22m site for new Navan cemetery, says councillor

Part of the 22-acre site purchased by Navan Town Council for social housing that is now lying idle should be earmarked for a new graveyard, according to local councillor Francis Deane. Navan Town Council purchased 28 acres at Ferganstown, Navan, for social housing at a cost of €22m a number of years ago and Councillor Deane said this land is now lying idle. Because it is located close to St Mary's Cemetery, Cllr Deane is asking the town council to look at dezoning 12 acres of the land and earmarking it for future use as a cemetery to serve that side of town. He pointed out that St Mary's Cemetery has been full for the past five years, unless families already have a plot, and that a new cemetery is needed for the Johnstown/Athlumney district, which is a huge residential area. Cllr Deane said that recent CSO figures have indicated an 80 per cent increase in deaths on record for the Navan area from 2005 to 2009 and that another cemetery is now needed for that side of town. "A lot of people are worried out in Johnstown. There is a huge population there. We have to provide for future years and we need to zone an area on that side of the town. St Mary's has been full for the past five years and this is agood opportunity to get land close by and get a plan in place. "The local authority has a responsibility to provide graveyards and there is a huge catchment area on this side of town," said Cllr Deane.