Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 50: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when he expects to publish the long-promised Coroners Court Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3508/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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My proposals for a Bill to reform comprehensively the legislation relating to coroners and the organisation of the coroner service were approved for drafting by the Government at the end of 2005. The details of the proposals are available on my Department's website.

This legislation will radically overhaul and reform the coroner service. It will provide for a modernisation of the death investigation, post-mortem and inquest procedures to ensure a better service to society in general, and to the relatives of the deceased in particular, than is possible under the 1962 Coroners Act.

There are two critical elements involved in the reform of the service: development of optimum structures and administration for a modern coroner service and widening the scope of the inquest. The Bill provides for the establishment of a coroner service to be located in Navan, County Meath. On the establishment of the service, full responsibility for coroners, including financial responsibility, will rest with the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the involvement of local authorities will cease.

The Bill proposes to widen the scope of the inquest from investigating the proximate medical cause of death to establishing in what circumstances the deceased met his or her death. The Act of 1962 and as interpreted by the courts, restricts the examination to "how" the person died.

The Government legislation programme announced by the Chief Whip on 25 January 2006 indicates that the Bill is expected to be published in mid-2006.