Jim Higgins (Fine Gael)

This week somebody who confessed to the murder of two elderly ladies in Grangegorman refused to turn up at the inquest into their deaths, having already been convicted of killing two people in County Roscommon. It transpires that the fine for non-attendance at the coroner's court is a mere €5. It is obvious, therefore, that the Coroners Act is grossly outdated and there is an urgent need to revise the penalties. We need to examine how we can redress a situation where somebody who is centrally involved in someone's death can fail, with virtual impunity, to turn up at the coroner's court which is attempting to establish the cause of death. The Leader should bring the matter to the attention of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform as it needs to be addressed urgently.