Councillor Sian Mulholland has said the Alliance Party has already raised a number of concerns about operational decisions made over the events reported from Roselawn last Tuesday.

Sian – who sits on the Council’s Strategic Cemeteries and Crematorium Working Group – said the fallout also highlights the need to see all Council Committees reinstated immediately to allow full transparency in decision making to be restored.

She added: “Alliance met with officers last week in what continues to be an unfolding and serious situation. We have to remember that throughout all this we are dealing with grieving families, yet we referenced the hurt and compounded grief felt by families who do not seem to have been offered the same treatment as one.

“We have raised the need for questions to be asked and for answers to be brought in a report to the Party Group Leaders forum by the end of the week.

“For almost three months now Alliance has been calling for all committee meetings to be restored but the seriousness of this issue only compounds the need to see this happen immediately. The DUP and Sinn Féin have consistently blocked this, but it’s clear we need open and transparent government returned to City Hall.

“These forums do not just provide transparency of decision making but also accountability and cross party input into key decisions that affect the public and our ratepayers. We will be asking for an immediate resumption of council committee meetings.”