Consumer group to probe cost of funerals to families
Life is expensive and so is death, according to the Consumer Association of Ireland (CAI).
The hidden fees contained within funeral expenses are generally an unspoken family matter but the CAI has confirmed that it will be revisiting the area, following complaints that not enough progress has been made.
"It is an area that people are very embarrassed to complain about," said Dermott Jewell, CEO. "This allows for a lack of transparency in the industry's pricing and also a lack of clarity."
According to the Irish Association of Funeral Directors (IAFD), the average price of a grave in Dublin is €2,500. A spokesperson for the IAFD estimates that the average cost of a funeral falls "between €4,000 and €5,000".
Headstones can range from €1,000 to €7,000 and this may not include foundation fees and a fee for the replacing of kerbs or chippings.
The Department of Social Welfare provides a bereavement grant of €850. But even with such assistance, the idea of a 'pauper's graveyard' is not behind us.
The Health Service Executive assumes responsibility for the burial of those with no monetary means, in designated 'poor grounds'.
- Joanna Kiernan
