Concerns have been raised about the privatisation of the Kilbarry burial ground, following a proposal issued by a developer.
The proposal has been submitted to Waterford City and County council, which currently owns the graveyard.
As part of this, the developer proposes to manage the burial ground and to build a crematorium.
Senior Executive with Waterford Council Fergus Galvin told this month's Metropolitan Council meeting that proper procedures will be followed before any decisions are made.
"An unsolicited proposal by an external developer [has been received] to develop a crematorium on the site and that same developer had also proposed that they would take on the management and maintenance of that existing cemetery.
"Cllrs will be aware that it was agreed at the time that any disposal of land out there [at Kilbarry] should go out to open expressions of interest," Galvin said.
However local Fianna Fáil Cllr Jason Murphy said the issue was causing some concern among people in the area
"I have had a number of representations from different people in relation to the graveyard who are a little bit worried.
"The potential of a crematorium is not the issue but the worry locally is that the graveyard would be privatised
"What I want to know is whether it's the intention of the council to privatise the graveyard -to dispose of it [irrespect of] without the crematorium," Cllr Murphy said.
At present no formal decision has been made regarding future plans for the cemetery, aside from the expression of interest submitted by the said private developer.
