Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This group of amendments will extend the mandatory retirement age of coroners, and deputy coroners, from 70 to 72.

This change accords with Government policy on extending mandatory retirement ages, in line with increases in healthy and productive life expectancy. It responds to a long-standing request by the coroners’ representative body for extension for coroners’ mandatory retirement age to 72. Given that the deputy coroner effectively steps into the coroner’s shoes in the event of a vacancy, under section 13 of the Act, it makes sense to provide for a corresponding increase in the mandatory retirement age for deputy coroners.

Amendment No. 1 is the most substantial amendment in this grouping. It amends section 11 of the principal Act on the lines I have just described, to replace 70 years of age with 72 years, as the mandatory retirement age for a coroner. It also makes a corresponding change from 70 to 72 years, in the provision for a coroner to give three months’ notice to the Minister before he or she attains the mandatory retirement age.

Amendment No. 2 is a purely technical amendment in section 6 of the Bill. It refers to the insertion of a new subsection, which will be made by amendment No. 3.

Amendment No. 3 amends section 13 of the principal Act to extend the mandatory retirement age for a deputy coroner from 70 to 72 years of age, as well as a similar change in the notice period.