Seanad debates

Thursday, 4 October 2007

Coroners Bill 2007: Second Stage

 

1:00 pm

Photo of Geraldine FeeneyGeraldine Feeney (Fianna Fail)

I was following the debate in my office and I had not intended to contribute, but there are a few points I would like to make. I welcome the Minister to the House. As someone who was unfortunate enough to have had to attend the Coroner's Court when my husband died a number of years ago, I have first-hand experience in this area. I wish to put on record the excellent service of coroners all over the country — those professional men and women who, under very difficult circumstances, deal with people such as myself. Senator Paudie Coffey mentioned the terrible delay in obtaining post mortems, and he is right. People must wait for the post mortem while they are torn apart with grief. They are in another world, and suddenly they are caught up with all of this. It is a terrible time for people who are going through it. It is the loneliest thing in the world to get into one's car in Sligo and drive to Dublin to obtain a death certificate, particularly for people who are left with young children or mothers and fathers who lose a son or daughter. It is a terrible time in people's lives.

I ask the Minister to consider incorporating in the Bill a provision for support services, as mentioned by Senator Frances Fitzgerald, in order that people who are going through this process will have an idea of what lies ahead on the morning of the inquest. People who are not familiar with a court set-up are completely ignorant — they do not even know who they will meet in the court, and they are not familiar with the surroundings or with the people who will be there. From that point of view, it would be helpful if people who are going through this could have an idea of what is going on. In my case, the coroner concerned had a word with me a couple of weeks before the inquest and told me what was going to happen. I was lucky in that my case was dealt with quickly, simply because there were not many other cases, but in this day and age there are many more cases because of the society in which we live. It is part and parcel of what we have to go through. A process should be introduced by which people in this predicament can obtain support and information on what is happening. I did not know there would be a jury, and I did not know that anyone from the Live Register could serve on a jury. There is a panel, but if they cannot fill the jury from the panel, they go out on the street and bring in people. It would have been helpful for me to know this. It is worth bearing in mind this sort of thing.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.