Funeral directors are calling for the removal of the age of funeral vehicles from licence plates in order to prevent people judging the car’s quality.
The Irish Association of Funeral Directors (IAFD) has contacted Transport Minister Shane Ross to allow its members an exemption from having to display the age of their funeral vehicles on their license plates, according to The Sunday Times.
John Foley, association president of the IAFD, reportedly wrote to Mr Ross this summer seeking “a distinct registration system for hearses and limousines in Ireland” so that “the age of the vehicle is not the predominant factor in its appearance.”
Mr Foley, who is a director of Jennings Undertakers, said that funeral vehicles should not be judged in the same way as other vehicles because their mileage is considerably less than that of a regular car.
“Most funeral vehicles are only used between 8:30am and11am and are garaged for the rest of the day,” he said.
“We would worry that a family might think less of a car because it is 10 years old. But the cost of a new hearse or limousine is in excess of €100,000, so it’s not something you can change too regularly either.
“A 10-year-old hearse is on a par with a one-or-two-year-old car.”
Mr Foley said that he was advised by Mr Ross’ officials to give his request to the finance department.
