He told a meeting of Limerick City Council’s environment committee: "It is futile to put a small area of a cemetery for uncoffined burials because what will happen is, for example, I might have lost a member of a family, and I cannot pay for a coffin because it is too expensive.
"So I will be able to ask for a loved one to be buried without a coffin."
He said his remarks were not directed at the Muslim faith, which follow specific rites whereby the deceased in bathed and wrapped in a shroud before being placed in the ground, but rather at the Irish underground system, which he said was not appropriate for uncoffined burials.
He was supported by fellow Fine Gael member, Cllr Cormac Hurley, who said: "When in Rome do as the Romans. We have a tradition in Ireland that those who are deceased are either cremated or put into a coffin.
"It is unchristian to dump a body in the ground without a coffin. If you go to a Muslim country, would they facilitate the burial of a Christian?"
Committee chairman Cllr John Gilligan said: "If we suggested to Muslims when someone dies, we spend two days drinking, they would be horrified."
It was decided to further discuss the directive at the December meeting of the committee.