Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

126. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of inquests which Ministers have ordered under section 23 of the Coroners Act 1962 since the introduction of that legislation; and the jurisdictions these inquests were held in. [15874/16]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

135. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of inquests that have been held into the deaths of persons whose bodies were not recovered, since the enactment of the Coroners Act 1962; and the time which elapsed between the person being reported missing and the inquest being held, by case. [16018/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 126 and 135 together.

The data which is immediately to hand dates back to 1999 and is tabulated beneath. It relates to the number of inquests directed by the Minister for Justice and Equality under the provisions of Section 23 of the Coroners Act, 1962. The data requested by the Deputy for the years 1962 to 1998 is not readily available. Nonetheless, my officials will seek to collate this information and provide to you in due course.

As the Deputy is aware, the legislation governing Coroners is the Coroners Act, 1962. Under this legislation a Coroner is a statutory officer exercising quasi-judicial functions, in relation to which he or she is independent. You will appreciate that neither I nor my Department has any role in the scheduling of individual inquests. The retention of Coroners' records is a matter for each individual Coroner and the County Registrar for the Coroner's local authority district under Section 29 of the Coroners Act 1962.