The Glasnevin Trust recently re-applied for planning permission to construct a chapel and car park on burial grounds in St Pauls Cemetery Glasnevin. Mary objected to the application and called on Dublin City Council to refuse permission for the following reasons:
- The proposal to build any structure or carpark on the graves of over 3000 children is insensitive and disrespectful. Historic details of the burials on these lands show that it is the final resting place of infants and babies many of whom died from neglect. These are largely forgotten children deprived of any dignity in life, buried in pauper’s graves and should not be denied dignity in death.
- Due to the historic nature of the site it would be impossible to accurately identify “empty grave sites” as is proposed in this application. The proposed construction of a “raft foundation” building on piling would be deeply intrusive and disruptive to this final resting and burial spot of 1,000s of children.
- The proposed construction of a car park on top of a burial ground is deeply insensitive.
- To grant permission for this proposed development would be contrary to Dublin City Councils own development plan objectives.
- It is Dublin City Council Development Plan’s stated policy to “preserve known burial grounds and disused historic graveyards” – not to build on them.
- Dublin City Council previously refused permission for the same chapel in May 2017. Their reasons for refusing the previous application apply still.
- The proposed development will lead to increased traffic and parking congestion in an already heavily congested residential area.