Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for the clarity with which she replied on behalf of the Minister. She has addressed many of my queries. However, two further issues arise. First, she has indicated that the move of the Office of the State Pathologist to the former Whitehall Garda station is proceeding as a shared location project with the Dublin City Coroner. Will she be more specific in terms of the timeframe for completion of the project? I hope the works will be undertaken in early 2014 as it is important that the project is completed in a timely manner. Second, speaking at a seminar last year, the State Pathologist, Dr. Marie Cassidy, reportedly warned that she and her colleagues, all of whom were in their 50s and had been trained abroad, were heading towards a time when they would be thinking of leaving the profession and that there was nobody being trained to replace them. She called for her profession to be officially recognised by the Medical Council in order that training could be established in Ireland. This is important in the context of the recent resignation from her office and the need to ensure a replacement, having regard to the fact that the entire country is covered by three officers who must deal with at least four cases per week. While I recognise and accept what the Minister of State said, I ask her to be more specific as to the type of recruitment competition that will take place. Is the Department resigned to having to recruit someone from abroad on the basis that we do not appear to have the necessary expertise at home? Is this a satisfactory position?

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