Funerals

Information

The Irish Association of Funeral Directors is the undertaker industry's trade association. Members must follow its Code of Practice, which commits members to:

• discussing and agreeing funeral director's charges with the next of kin in advance, unless expressly asked not to do this
• professionalism and quality of service in arranging and conducting the funeral
• openness about cost and payment
• accurate advertising of prices and services
• sensitivity, confidentiality and a commitment to leaving the customer in control of decisions.

Individual funeral arrangements vary widely and depend on, among other things, where the funeral is taking place, the type of coffin (casket) you get and whether or not you hire funeral cars.

The funeral director's job may include the following:

• Discussing the family's and deceased's wishes and ensuring that all the details are taken care of and that the whole process goes smoothly
• Provision of the coffin, hearse, habit/shroud, limousine/transport of family and embalming
• Organisation of and payment for the grave purchase, grave opening/cremation charges, church offerings, newspaper announcements, flowers, music at the ceremony and catering.

Embalming

Embalming is a process involving the replacement of all body fluids with a substance designed to prevent the body from deteriorating. It is not strictly necessary, especially if the removal and funeral take place relatively quickly after death. About half of all bodies are embalmed.

Burials

Burial grounds (cemetaries) in Ireland are governed and maintained by local authorities. The local authority then usually appoints a registrar or caretaker for each burial ground to manage the sale of plots in that site and to maintain the burial ground in some cases.

Prices for grave plots and burials in Ireland can vary a lot, so check around for prices, if possible. You may like to read through our document on Burial Grounds in Ireland here.

Home burials

It is possible to bury a loved one outside an official graveyard, for example, on family land. However, it is very difficult to do so. It is very wise to sort this out well in advance of the death, as it may be impossible to organise legally at short notice. You will receive a visit from an Environmental Health Inspector from the local authority's health department who will ascertain that the proposed burial site will not pollute any water sources or drainage channels and goes down to a depth of eight feet.

You should get in touch wtih your local authority (County Council or Corporation) for further details.

Cremation

You can have the deceased's body cremated and dispose of the ashes by burying them in a family plot, using facilities provided by the crematorium or disposing of them privately.

Funeral costs

Funeral costs can vary widely depending on what you opt for and depending on whether it is a city or country funeral (rural funeral costs are generally less expensive). If you have difficulty paying for the funeral, your Community Welfare Officer may be able to help.

Information for those recently bereaved

Bereavement - information for those recently bereaved (pdf) is a joint publication from the Citizens Information Board. This booklet is aimed at those who have been recently bereaved and provides information and advice on the practical and material matters that arise following a death. It contains information on what to do immediately after a death, possible social welfare entitlements, tax, financial and legal issues that may arise and where to go for further information and support.