Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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260. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide an update on her plans to review the legislation governing the Coroner Service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19754/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Coroners Bill 2007 provides for a comprehensive reform of the Coroners Act 1962 and of the coroner system, including the establishment of a new Coroner Service. It incorporates many of the recommendations made by the Coroners Review Group in 2000, and by the Coroners Rules Committee in 2003, as well as a detailed review of reforms to coronial systems in other common-law jurisdictions (particularly New Zealand and Northern Ireland).

I can confirm to the Deputy that a review of the Coroners Bill 2007 is underway, at my request, with a view to developing a plan for its progression.

The 2007 Bill is being reviewed in light of a number of developments since its publication including

- changed public finances;

- increased emphasis on delivering leaner, better integrated and more customer-focused public services; and

- developing coroner practice and caselaw, particularly on the application to coroners' inquests of Art. 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

As finalising the review is dependent on competing legislative priorities, I am not in a position, at present, to give an indication of a timeframe for this project.