Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 408: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will allow the exhumation of a person (details supplied) to determine the true cause of death. [27057/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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It would appear from the information supplied by the Deputy that a Coroner's inquest has been held in this case. The Coroner's function in this regard is an independent, quasi-judicial one and the Minister has no role in this process.

Insofar as the authorisation of an exhumation is concerned, the position is set out in section 47(1) of the Coroners Act, 1962. This provides that the Minister, where requested by a Coroner on foot of a report from the Garda Síochána, may as he thinks proper either grant or refuse such a request. No such request has been received in this case.