Bobby Storey cremation WAS in compliance with NI Executive guidance say Belfast City Council

In a detailed statement issued on Friday morning, BCC confirmed individuals appointed by the Storey family helped BCC staff to steward the service by ensuring only people permitted by the family attended.

2Roselawn Crematorium chapel and indoor facilities is closed to all mourners due to COVID-19.

"Mourners have the option of holding an outdoor service outside the crematorium chapel.

"The NI Executive set out guidance to permit 30 people to gather outside, which permitted us to offer this as an option for mourners.

"All cremations held on Tuesday complied with the guidance set out by the NI Executive," said a spokesperson for BCC.

The spokesperson added: A local elected representative contacted council officials by telephone to enquire on what was permissible and what numbers were allowed on Tuesday.

"Council officials confirmed the NI Executive guidance.

"That local elected representative also informed the council officials that people, appointed by the family, would be on site to assist the family in ensuring that the only people given access to the site would be family.

"These people, playing a stewarding role for family would work with Belfast City Council staff to ensure that those allowed on the site were only those permitted by the family.

"This is no different to what would normally be the case in a high profile cremation or one that would potentially attract high numbers of people or media."

BCC confirmed some non-crematorium staff were sent home early to avoid a situation where these employees could be photographed at such a high profile service.

"There were two Belfast City Council staff at the bottom gate of the Crematorium and these staff were in radio contact with a Manager who was outside Roselawn Crematorium.

"A staff presence at the gates has been a necessary arrangement throughout the response to COVID-19.

"During COVID-19, Roselawn opening hours for visitors to the cemetery are Tuesday evening, Thursday evening and Sunday. Gates are closed the remainder of the time – this was the case on Tuesday."

The spokesperson added: "Some non-cremation staff who would normally finish at 4pm, finished at 2pm and the last member of staff due to finish at 4pm, finished at 3pm.

"This decision was made in order to avoid a situation where staff would be photographed, as has happened with other high profile funerals or sensitive cremations in the past.

"The decision was also made given that crematorium staff did not know what numbers would be present outside of the site, and potentially try to gain access, it made sense operationally that staff who did not need to be there could leave before potential volumes of traffic and media arrived.

"Fifteen members of staff were left on site."

BCC explained that the way in which it opted to facilitate the high profile cremation did not impede upon any other cremations nor were any cancelled.

"BCC made an operational decision to hold the last three cremation slots of the day.

"This decision was made in order to ensure that there were no other cremations later that day – in order to protect the privacy of other members of the public and their cremation services.

"BCC did not know whether to anticipate high numbers or otherwise and therefore planned for all instances.

"This would be normal practice in the event of a high profile cremation.

"There is currently no waiting list at Roselawn Crematorium and no cremations were cancelled.

"Operational decisions like these, made by Belfast City Council are made impartially in what is often a complex and difficult political environment."

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