Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome that we are proceeding with this important legislation and I thank Deputies, and Deputy Clare Daly in particular, for their interest in the matter. As I informed the Dáil on Second Stage, subject to the advice of the Attorney General, I intend to bring forward a number of further amendments to the Bill. I am introducing a number of those today, including some new provisions that provide for the first time for an expressed jurisdiction for a coroner to inquire into a stillbirth where there is cause for concern. There is another provision for a coroner to direct a hospital or health institution where the deceased was treated immediately before death, or a doctor holding medical records of the deceased, to produce the records the coroner considers relevant and necessary for the conduct of an effective post mortem examination.

I also flag to the committee my intention, subject to Government approval, to introduce on Report Stage a number of further amendments upon which extensive work is already proceeding. I will come back to various further amendments during our discussion today as we proceed through the sections. I expect them to include, subject again to the advice of the Attorney General, a power for a coroner to seek directions from the High Court on a point of law regarding the exercise of the coroner's functions. There would be a section setting out governing principles for regulations to be made by me, with the agreement of my colleague, the Minister for Health, on proper and respectful storage and disposal of human organs or tissue retained for the purpose of an inquest or post mortem examination. There will be a number of amendments providing that in the small number of cases where the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission is investigating possible Garda involvement in a death under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, a designated officer of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission may provide assistance to the coroner's inquiry or inquest.