Johnny Mythen (Wexford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We in Sinn Féin welcome the Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2024 and support its intention to supply extra coroners to the Dublin district and to provide temporary coroners to other districts when and where the need arises. As stated, this legislation was introduced as an instrument to create a legal avenue to allow the assignment and appointment of temporary coroners to the Dublin district during the Covid-19 pandemic. It is therefore important to state that the Bill should be viewed as an interim measures, with a full overhaul of the coroners process by the current Government to follow as quickly as possible and to be done as diligently as possible.

The last place any bereaved family want to find themselves is in front of a coroner's inquest, listening to the forensic details and, more often than not, the tragic circumstances of how their loved one or relative passed away. Although it brings truth and closure to their anguish and suffering, the time it takes for this to happen is far too long. The prevention of backlogs in pathology, autopsy and toxicology reports must be the top priority. Some families have been waiting for an inquest since 2019. Unfortunately, there is no rule or methodology to measure the anguish and prolonged torment families have to go through because of the current process in the coroners service. I know of a couple who lost their son in tragic circumstances. He was suffering from epilepsy and died in unknown circumstances. His brain was removed for examination and, months later, this couple are still waiting on the autopsy and toxicology results. That poor family are devastated and crushed under a system that needs immediate reform. The promised review must be urgently completed and followed up on in light of this legislation. It should incorporate some form of counselling for families. As stated by the Minister of State, a sea change is needed for the coroners to be more reflective of society and more conscientious of the people who must attend before them.

We in Sinn Féin believe the overhaul of the coroners system must be centred around the bereaved. We would like to see the Government take on board the recommendations put forward by the Irish Council for Civil Liberties and by the Oireachtas committee, including the recommendations that a formal jury selection process be established for jurors presiding at inquests and that an accessible process to appeal the verdict of a coroner's inquest be established. The Government must also take responsibility and provide adequate funding, especially with regard to staffing levels. This is one of the main issues being highlighted by the coroners themselves and would alleviate the unacceptable delays and backlogs bereaved families and relatives are experiencing.

We acknowledge the Government's recognition of the fact that the coroners system needs reform and that the Bill is an interim response to a system that is failing families in the Dublin district and beyond. We welcome the fact that this Bill will ensure the continuation of the Stardust inquest and security of tenure for coroners but it must be backed up by major reform of the coroners system, must have as its foundation the welfare of the bereaved families and relatives and must protect the rights of all involved in such traumatic circumstances. Sinn Féin will be supporting this Bill.

See this speech in context