Cabinet has agreed that the number of mourners that are allowed to attend funerals under Level 5 restrictions will remain at 25.
Waterford Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People Mary Butler confirmed the news to WLR in the past few minutes.
Last night it was understood that only 10 mourners were to be permitted at funerals. However that was scrapped following this morning's Cabinet meeting and 25 will be the number of people permitted at funerals, under Level 5 Restrictions.
Speaking on Déise Today this morning before the u-turn, Waterford Minister of State Mary Butler said she accepted that the original Level 5 restrictions for funerals would have been extremely difficult on families.
Minister Butler told Damien Tiernan that it's something she questioned herself. She said: "That is extremely difficult for families - really really difficult and I accept that."
"We all know that churches are controlled environments, a lot of measures have been put in place and that is one I actually am questioning myself."
Meanwhile, local undertaker Jim Falconer had also described the prior decision to restrict to 10 mourners as an "abomination" and "an attack on our Christian values" and our culture.
"The most law abiding people on the planet are the people who are at funerals," he had said.
To listen to this morning's Deise Today, please click below...
