Conservationists warn against park graveyard plan

A HANDS-OFF warning has been given to people who want to provide a graveyard in a section of the 26,000-acre Killarney National Park, where there are strict controls on development.

The Killarney Nature Conservation Group (KNCG) has come out strongly against a campaign targeting a roadside field on the edge of the park as being suitable to meet what could soon be a crisis situation regarding burial spaces.

Space in local graveyards is running out and Killarney Town Council and Kerry politicians have requested Environment Minister Dick Roche to provide a parcel of land for a new graveyard, in the Muckross area.

The campaign has gathered momentum, as the next general election looms, but successive ministers and the park authorities have, so far, refused to comply with the request.

Mr Roche is currently giving it consideration.

Michael O’Sullivan, vice-chairman and PRO of the KNCG, told Killarney Town Council the integrity of the national park should remain intact.

He said the park was the premier attraction for visitors to Killarney and, if anything, should be expanded rather than trying to annex parts of it for purposes for which the park was never intended.

“The ethos of the national park movement is to set aside areas of outstanding natural beauty for the benefit of nature, the local community and visitors,” Mr O’Sullivan stated in a letter to the council.

He also said Killarney National Park was almost unique in Ireland as it was also designated a UNESCO biosphere reserve.

Mr O’Sullivan said the park had special status as a Special Area of Conservation and was also protected under EU habitat and birds directives.

He suggested land in the St Finan’s Hospital complex in Killarney, which is due to be sold shortly, as an “ideal location”. He said it would provide easy access for people that wished to visit graves of loved ones.